INQUA–SEQS 2002 Conference

INQUA–SEQS ‘02

UPPER PLIOCENE AND PLEISTOCENE OF THE SOUTHERN URALS REGION AND ITS SIGNIFICANCE FOR CORRELATION OF THE EASTERN AND WESTERN PARTS OF EUROPE

Excursion Guide

Ufa – 2002

INTERNATIONAL UNION FOR QUATERNARY RESEARCH INQUA COMMISSION ON STRATIGRAPHY INQUA SUBCOMISSION ON EUROPEAN QUATERNARY STRATIGRAPHY RUSSIAN ACADEMY OF SCIENCES UFIMIAN SCIENTIFIC CENTRE INSTITUTE OF GEOLOGY STATE GEOLOGICAL DEPARTMENT OF THE BASHKORTOSTAN REPUBLIC RUSSIAN SCIENCE FOUNDATION FOR BASIC RESEARCH ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE BASHKORTOSTAN REPUBLIC OIL COMPANY “BASHNEFT” BASHKIR STATE UNIVERSITY

INQUA–SEQS 2002 Conference

30 June – 7 July, 2002, Ufa (Russia)

UPPER PLIOCENE AND PLEISTOCENE OF THE SOUTHERN URALS REGION AND ITS SIGNIFICANCE FOR CORRELATION OF THE EASTERN AND WESTERN PARTS OF EUROPE

Excursion Guide

Ufa–2002

ББК

УДК 551/782/.79+[550.384+561+562](282.247.415.5)

EXCURSION GUIDE of the INQUA SEQS – 2002 conference, 30 June – 7 July, 2002, Ufa (Russia) / G. A. Danukalova, A. G. Yakovlev, V. N. Puchkov, K. N. Danukalov, A. K. Agadjanian, Th. van Kolfschoten, A. A. Eremeev and E. M. Morozova. Ufa: Dauria, 2002. 139 pp., Tabl. 22, Fig. 48, Plates 7.

ISBN

Summarised information on the Upper Pliocene – Pleistocene deposits of the Southern Urals with descriptions of the key sections and with the distribution of significant ostracode species, molluscs, large and small mammals and plant remains. The Late Cenozoic history of the Southern Urals region is characterised by the transgression of the Aktschagylian Sea, which flooded all river valleys of the Southern Fore-Urals during the Pliocene. The Pleistocene deposits in the area are of continental origin. The Pleistocene glaciations did not reach the Southern Urals; however the Quaternary climatic fluctuations affected the history of the fauna, flora and human societies as well as the geomorphological setting of the area. The Southern Urals region is an important area for the correlation between the European and Siberian/Asiatic stratigraphic schemes. To improve the correlation between the two areas and to expand our understanding of the complexity of the area, future (bio)stratigraphical investigation of the Pliocene–Pleistocene deposits of the Southern Urals region is indispensable.

EDITORS:

Thijs van Kolfschoten Faculty of Archaeology, Leiden University, PO Box 9515, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands

Philip Leonard Gibbard Godwin Institute for Quaternary Research, Department of Geography, University of Cambridge, Downing Place, Cambridge CB2 3EN, England

The Excursion Guide is produced with the help of:

Drawings Nataliya Nechaeva Anatolyi Yakovlev Guzel Danukalova

Imposition Alexander Chernikov

ISBN

© Institute of Geology Ufimian Scientific Centre RAS, 2002

Organisers: Institute of Geology – Ufimian Scientific Centre – Russian Academy of Sciences INQUA, International Union for Quaternary Research INQUA – Commission on Stratigraphy INQUA–SEQS, International Union for Quaternary Research – Subcomission on European Quaternary Stratigraphy Academy of Sciences of the Bashkortostan Republic State Geological Department of the Bashkortostan Republic Oil company “Bashneft” Russian Science Foundation for Basic Research Bashkir State University

Scientific Committee:

Dr. Thijs van Kolfschoten, Leiden University, The Netherlands (Chair). Dr. Philip Gibbard, Cambridge University, United Kingdom. Prof. Leczek Marks, Polish Geological Institute, Poland. Dr. Guzel Danukalova, Institute of Geology USC RAS, Bashkortostan, Russia.

Organising Committee:

Dr. Ph. Victor Puchkov, Institute of Geology USC RAS, Corr. Member of RAS, Bashkortostan, Russia (Chair). Rasikh Khamitov, The Head of the State Geological Department of the Bashkortostan Republic, Bashkortostan, Russia. Alexander Chernov, the State Geological Department of the Bashkortostan Republic, Bashkortostan, Russia. Victor Philippov, the Council of Ministers of the Bashkortostan Republic, Bashkortostan, Russia. Dr. Emir Gareev, Ufimian Scientific Centre RAS, Bashkortostan, Russia. Rauf Nugumanov, Chair of the Administration of Ufa, Bashkortostan, Russia. Prof. Mukhamet Kharrasov, Rector of the Bashkir State University, Bashkortostan, Russia. Prof. Rifkat Talipov, Pro-rector of the Bashkir State University, Bashkortostan, Russia. Irek Zaripov, Chair of the Administration of the Burzyan region, Bashkortostan, Russia. Khamza Akhmetov, Chair of the Administration of the Karmaskaly region, Bashkortostan, Russia. Vener Kamaletdinov, Chair of the Administration of the Blagovar region, Bashkortostan, Russia. Ravil’ Davletov, Chair of the Administration of the Dyurtyuly region and Dyurtyuly town, Bashkortostan, Russia. Alexander Kim, Chair of the Administration of the Ilish region, Bashkortostan, Russia. Ampir Syrtlanov, the director of the Oil company “Bashneft”, Russia. Iljaz Abdrachmanov, the director of the Uchaly mountain-concentrating group, Russia. Mikhail Kosarev, the director of the Narional park “Bashkortostan”, Bashkortostan, Russia. Dr. Guzel Danukalova, Institute of Geology USC RAS, Bashkortostan, Russia. Dr. Anatoly Yakovlev, Institute of Geology USC RAS, Bashkortostan, Russia. Dr. Larisa Belan, Bashkir State University, Bashkortostan, Russia.

4 Upper Pliocene and Pleistocene of the Southern Urals region

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION ...... 5 METHODS ...... 6 NATURAL CONDITIONS OF THE REGION ...... 7 NEOTECTONICS OF THE URALS ...... 9 THE STRATIGRAPHY OF THE UPPER PLIOCENE AND PLEISTOCENE DEPOSITS OF THE SOUTHERN URALS REGION ...... 14 RADIOCARBON DATA ...... 22 THE LATE PLEISTOCENE PALAEOENVIRONMENT IN THE SOUTHERN (BASHKIRIAN) FORE-URALS...... 26 THE GORNOVA SECTIONS...... 27 THE SYMBUGINO SECTIONS...... 49 THE NOVO-SULTANBEKOVO SECTIONS ...... 66 THE BAZITAMAK SECTION...... 77 THE CHUI-ATASEVO SECTIONS...... 89 THE ILENKA SECTIONS...... 109 THE SHULGAN-TASH (KAPOVA) CAVE...... 130

and its significance for correlation of the eastern and western parts of Europe 5

INTRODUCTION

The region of the Bashkortostan Republic (Russian Federation) that will be visited during the excursion covers the Fore-Urals border depression area, the east slope of the Southern Urals as well as the Southern Ural mountains (Fig. 1). Since the end of XIX century many famous Russian scientists studied the Cenozoic deposits in the Fore-Urals (V.I. Meller, F.N. Chernyshov, A.V. Nechaev, G.V. Vahrushev, A.V. Myrtova, V.L. Yakchemovich, et al.). More detailed descriptions of the upper Cenozoic deposits and the ancient drainage system in the Belaya-river basin were made during the geological survey by the Bashkirian territorial geological department and during thematic investigations by the Institute of Geology of the Scientific Centre of the Ufa Russian Academy of Sciences. The location of the Pliocene and Pleistocene deposits and the present relief depends mostly on the pre- Paleozoic and Paleozoic bedrock and it’s tectonic history. A well-developed drainage system was formed in the territory. The ancient drainage was filled by alluvial and lacustrine sediments of Upper Pontian (?) – Kimmerian (Kinel series; up to 350 m thick), Aktschagyl, Apsheron (Eopleistocene) and Pleistocene age. Numerous boreholes were made in the buried overdeepened, down cutted valleys. Due to extensive land subsidence in the south (in the region of the Caspian see) brackish water basins were formed during Kimmerian and Aktschagyl time. The deposits in the basins reflect the changes in the sedimentary conditions (limanian1 freshwater, marine brackish water and terrestrial). Large rivers were almost absent during the Middle and Late Pliocene due to the transgression of the sea; alluvial depostis were only formed in deltas and in shallow valleys located at the edges of the reservoirs. The activity of the ancient river depended, apart from the Caenozoic diastrophic movements, on exogenetic (climatic) factors, which resulted in considerable changes of the Caspian and Pechorian sealevels. The influence of the exogenetic factors refers to processes of surface run-off, denudation and accumulation in all the structural zones of the Southern Urals region.

1 Liman – the local name of estuary

6 Upper Pliocene and Pleistocene of the Southern Urals region

METHODS

For the investigations of the Pliocene and Pleistocene deposits different biostratigraphical and magnitostratigraphical methods are used. Biostratigraphical investigations: ostracoda (M.G. Popova-Lvova), mollusks (A.V. Sydnev, A.L. Chepalyga, G.A. Danukalova), large mammals (N.N. Yakchemovich, B.S. Kozhamkulova, P.A. Kosyncev), small mammals (V.P. Suchov, A.G. Yakovlev), pollen and spores (V.K. Nemkova, L.I. Alimbekova), Carpological remains (P.I. Dorofeev) have been studied. The result is that the history of fossil organic forms and plants associations could be traced, characteristic complexes could be recognised and a curve with changes in the vegetation changes could be constructed. Palaeomagnetical investigations: the summarizing magnitostratigraphic data of the Pliocene and Pleistocene sections in the nonglacial zone of Fore-Urals have been presented by V.L. Yakchemovich and F.I. Suleimanova (1981).

Figure 1. The Geographical Map of area with the excursion points 1 – Bazitamak, 2 – Chui-Atasevo, 3 – Symbugino, 4 – Novo-Sultanbekovo, 5 – Gornova, 6 – Ilenka, 7 – Shulgan-Tash and its significance for correlation of the eastern and western parts of Europe 7

NATURAL CONDITIONS OF THE REGION

The region is located in the eastern part of the Eastern-European Plain, the Southern Urals and the western part of the Western-Siberian Plain (fig. 1). The Bashkortostan Republic covers an area of 143.600 square kilometers. The republic has a population of almost 4 million people (39 % of them are Russian, 28,5% – Tatar, 22% – Bashkir and 20,5% – other nationalities: Mari, Chuvash, Ukrainian, Komi and others). The capital of the Bashkortostan Republic is Ufa, a city with 1,1 million inhabitants. Other large towns are: Sterlitamak, Ishimbai, Salavat, Beloretsk, Neftekamsk and Tuimazy. Several rivers cross the region; the larger rivers are: Belaya, Ai, Yuryuzan, Sim, Inzer, Nugush, Sakmara and Ural. Proterozoic and Paleozoic metamorphic, sedimentary and magmatic rocks form the mountaineous part of the region. Karst phenomena exist in the areas where limestone and dolomite occurs; many caves are known from the river valleys in the mountains: exemples are the Shulgan-Tash (Kapova) cave with Paleolithic pictures, the Kutuk-Sumgan caves, the Salavat Yulaev cave, the Muradymovskaya cave and the Askynskaya icy cave. The territory of the Bashkortostan Republic can be divided into two parts: the eastern slope of the Eastern- European plain and the western slope of the Southern Urals with the two higher massifs Yamantay (1640 m) and Iremel (1584 m). More than 3 thousands mineral deposits are known in the area of the Bashkortostan Republic: 200 oil and gas-condensate fields, about 10 brown coal deposits, 15 copper pyrite deposits, more than 20 iron deposits, 50 gold deposits and placer deposits. Coal, bauxite, manganese, chromite, fluorite, barite, rock salt, limestone, dolomite, phosphorite, gypsum, magnesite, talc, brick earth, fire-clay, sands, facing and industrial stones, peat, mineral water and others occur in the subsoil. The territory covers 4 different geographical regions of the temperate zone characterised by the dominance of: mixed forest, broad-leaved forest, forest-steppe and steppe. The forest zone penetrates far to the south into the forest-steppe and steppe zones due to the influence of the Ural mountains. The broad-leaf forests are dominated by Quercus, Tilia, Populus tremula, Ulmus; Corylus, Sorbus, and Euonymus occur in a lower percentage. Coniferous forests with Picea, Pinus and Abies occur in the mountainous part of the territory. The forests on the flood plain are characterised by the occurrence of Populus, Salix and Tilia. Steppe vegetation covers the slopes of the hills in the Trans-Urals region and the Fore-Urals plain. Grassland occurs in the river valleys and covers open patches in the forests. Moors only occur in small areas and tundra vegetation can only be observed on the summits of the Iremel and Yamantay mountains. The mountains of the Southern Urals also show a zonation in climate, soils and vegetation. The landscape changed from steppe and forest-steppe at the foot of the mountains and lower foothills to a Picea-Abies taiga at the height between 600 – 1100 m. The highest summits (more than 1600 m high) are poor in vegetation. The landscape of the Trans-Urals is similar to that of the southern part of Western Siberia and the northern part of Kazakhstan. The region is also situated in the central part of the Eurasian continent. The aerial mass that formed over the Atlantic Ocean in the west (in a reduced way), the Arctic Ocean in the north and the dry regions of the Kazakhstan and For-Caspian lowland in the south have influence on the continental climatic conditions in the area. The climate is chracterised by warm summers and long cold winters. In winter the cold weather

8 Upper Pliocene and Pleistocene of the Southern Urals region comes from Siberia through the Urals. The mean July temperatures vary from +17 to +19° C; the mean January temperatures between –15 and –17° С. The yearly amount of precipitation on the western slope of Urals is 640–700 mm, on the eastern slope less than 300–500 mm and in the plain 400–500 mm. July is the warmest and sunniest month: the daily temperature normally rise up to +30 °C, the temperatures during the night are about +15 – +17°C. The precipitation in the month July is normally restricted to some heavy showers and storms or sometimes to more continuous rain. The fauna in the region is very divers; several species represent the different groups: Protozoa (120 species), Annelides (700 species), Nemathelminthes, Plathelminthes, Mollusca (121 species), Arthropoda (5000 species), Osteichthyes (47 species) , Amphibia (10 species), Reptilia (10 species), Aves (296 species), Mammalia (76 species). Many species have a wide geographical range. However, some are restricted to the Ural mountains (Salmo trutta morpha fario, Thymallus thymallus, Styzostedion lucioperca, S. volgensis, Cyprinus carpio, Leociscus cephalus, Rana temporaria, R. lessonae, Bombina bombina, Triturus cristatus ets.). Emys orbicularis and Vipera sp. are rare; they occur only in the southern part of the territory. The open areas are inhabited by: Marmota bobac, Allactaga jaculus, Lepus europaeus, Mustela eversmanni, Perdix perdix, Alauda arvensis; the forested areas are inhabited by: Alces alces, Capreolus capreolus, Sus scrofa, Ursus arctos, Felis lynx, Canidae (Canis lupus, Vulpes vulpes, Nyctereutes procyonoides), Mustelidae (Martes martes, Mustela vison, M. sibirica, M. erminea, M. nivalis, M. eversmanni, Meles meles), Eutamias sibiricus, Sciurus vulgaris, Tetraonidae (Tetrastes bonasia, Lyrurus tetrix, Tetrao urogallus); the water reservoirs are inhabited by: Castor fiber, Lutra lutra, Ondatra zibethica, Anceriformes (Anas crecca, A. querquedula, A. platyrhynchos ets.), Lariformis, Podicipediformes, Emys orbicularis etc.

and its significance for correlation of the eastern and western parts of Europe 9

NEOTECTONICS OF THE URALS

The time span between the Oligocene and nowadays is commonly accepted as a neotectonic epoch (Trifonov, 1999). As for the Urals, it is usually thought to be a time when the modern Urals mountains were formed (Rozhdestvensky, 1971, 1997; Rozhdestvensky, Zinyakhina, 1997). The modern Urals is a mountain range with Narodnaya mnt. (1885 m above sea level) of the Cis-Polar Urals as a highest point. The highest mountain in the Southern Urals is Jaman-Tau (1640 m). Compared with the Uralian foldbelt which used to be a huge mountain ridge in the Late Paleozoic, the modern Urals is a more narrow and much less prominent, low-amplitude feature. Paleozoic Urals was formed as a common orogen, at plate boundaries, while the modern Urals is an interplate, intracontinental structure (Puchkov, 1988). It follows faithfully the strike of the most important tectonic zones, faults and massifs of the western zones of the Paleozoic Urals, and only in the Southern Urals most of the Paleosoic structural zones are exposed, while in the North the easternmost zones dive under rather thick cover of the West Siberian basin and therefore experience not neotectonic uplift but oppositely, submersion. The position of the modern Ural Mountains is at a bisector between two highly active neotectonic lines interpreted by L. Zonnenshain et al. (1984) (maybe not quite justly) as moderm plate margins. One line follows Alps-Caucasus-Pamirs mountanous chain, and the other goes along the mountains of Tien-Shan, Altay, and Baikal area. One line is intercontinental, commonplace plate margin but the other – intracontinental (it is not accompanied by any young suture zone). The origin of the second type of mountains must have much more in common with the Urals: they are both the result of intraplate deformation of a continent, though in case of the Urals the process was much less intense. The Paleozoic Uralian orogen was a result of collisions started in the Late Devonian and completed in Permian time. It was strongly eroded and partially peneplained by the end of the Permian, when a considerable eastern part of the Southern Urals was invaded by the Tethyan transgression. Triassic was time of a strong basaltoid trapp magmatism, and therefore a new phase of mountain building of that epoch was probably connected with a distributed rifting. The altitude of the Early Triassic mountains is thought to be 2–3 km, while Triassic graben-like depressions are filled with coarse-grained sediments and basalts, up to 3,5 km thick. The sediments in the East of the Urals are partially affected by the Early Jurassic Old Cimmerian thrust and fold deformations which probably kept the surface of the area fairly high for some more time later (Arkhangelsky, 1968; Tuzhikova, 1973; Puchkov, 1997, 2000, 2001). The mountains were eroded again very soon after that last alpine-type deformations. Since the second half of the Middle Jurassic, the sea started to come periodically very close to the Urals from the southwest, though the most of the territory was a place of either a slow erosion and weathering or formation of continental coal-bearing sediments, including mature quartz sandstones. During the peak of the vast Late Cretaceous (Santonian-Maestrichtian) transgression, the sea covered the whole Preuralian foredeep, the southern part of the Uraltau antiform and Zilair synform with Sakmara allochthon, and a major part of the Transuralian zone. It is evident that by that time the Uralian foldbelt was inactive. The surface of its axial part was probably above the sea, though not very high, taking into account the quartz composition of Cretaceous sandstones and presence of weathering crusts and bauxites. The position of the restored shoreline at the peak of the next (and the last) transgression in the mid-Eocenian time was approximately the same. Before the Oligocene the sea left the territory of the Urals, and Oligocene and younger sediments are continental and mostly terrigenous. Since then, or later, the modern Urals mountains started to be formed. This scenario (though in a very general way) is supported by recent fission-track data. These analyses have given an information concerning low temperature history of rocks in the Ural Mountains. It was shown that cooling through the 110 ºC temperature isotherm occurred mostly in the Jurassic (Seward et al., 1997,

10 Upper Pliocene and Pleistocene of the Southern Urals region

2002), though some preliminary data show a possibility of Cretaceous normal faulting in the area to the south of Jaman-Tau mountain (Glasmacher et al., 1999, 2001). Taken as a whole, the data means that the rocks which are now exposed in the surface were in Jurassic (and locally in Cretaceous) at the depth about 2,5–3 km. It leaves the question when in the later history these 2,5–3 km were eroded, still unanswered. Moreover, if the application of the method does not follow exactly geological restrictions it leads to maistakes. For example, based on the fission-track data (Leech, Stockli, 2000) it was supposed that the Maksyutovo complex came to the surface only at the neotectonic stage, but according to geological data, the complex was exhumed and covered by marine sediments in the Late Cretaceous. A new method, that of (U–Th) / He chronometry using apatite was recently suggested (Reiners, 2002). The low closure temperature of apatite (U–Th) / He chronometry (~70ºC, as opposed to annealing temperatures of 110ºC for fission tracks in apatite) makes this method more promising for study of the late, neotectonic history of mountains, particularly the Urals. The studies using this method are to be started during this field season with our Spanish colleagues. The modern altitudes of the Upper Cretaceous and Mid-Eocene marine deposits in the Southern Urals give the lower limit (minimum value) for the amplitude of the neotectonic uplift of the territory. These amplitudes are below 200 m in the Transuralian zone, about 400 m in the Sakmara allochthon, up to 500 m in the southern part of the Uraltau antiform, and again below 200–300 m in the Preuralian foredeep. The pre-neotectonic Cretaceous / Eocene denudation levels of those territories of the Urals where the transgressions did not reach, had still higher altitudes, though it is very difficult to say how higher they were. Anyway, the Eocene-Cretaceous surfaces were considerably deformed during the neotectonic stage, but again it is hard to tell if it was a simple arched uplift or more complex deformation. There is no much evidence for the active high-amplitude faults during the neotectonic stage, though Bachmanov et al. (2001) give a series of evidences for the oligocene-quarternary faults with the amplitude up to 100–200 m, supported by a series of references. Paleomagnetic studies of the Late Pleistocene deposits in the Yuruzan- Ai and Magnitogorsk depressions have shown a presence of local young plicative and disjunctive dislocations (Minibaev and Sulutdinov, 2001). Systematic monitoring of tectonic noises have shown their concentration along some old faults in the Southern Urals (Kazantsev et al., 1995, 1996). The modern researchers attribute a great importance to strike-slip movements in the Urals (Kopp, 1999; Bachmanov et al., 2001; Tevelev, 2002). The data on the modern fault deformations were given by V. P.Trifonov (1976). The relief of the Southern Urals is a combination of ridges and mountain massifs with relics of rather smooth denudation surfaces (e.g. North Kraka mountains with a denudation level of about 1000 m) and lower plateaus (e.g. Zilair plateau, 500–700 m high). The relief around the highest mountains (Jaman-Tau, Mashak, Ieremel and others) is a combination of narrow ridges with relics of plains at the altitudes up to 1300 m and U-shaped valleys clearly suggesting their glacial origin in Pleistocene (Kolokolov, Lvov, 1945; Astakhov, 1984; Cenozoic, 1970; Levina et al., 2001), though good descriptions of moraines in the Southern Urals are still not published. No marine fauna to date the denudation levels in the higher part of the Urals had been found. According to D. Borisevich (1992), the ranges and massifs dominating over the level of peneplained watersheds of the Urals mountains have a relic nature and originated as a result of erosion of the Middle Triassic peneplain. This point of view has no direct proofs and conflicts with the fission-track data telling that about 3 km-thick mass of rocks was eroded above the samples taken at the altitudes up to 500–700 m since the Jurassic time. In this case, even Jurassic peneplain had no chance to survive. More realistic guess could be Late Mesosoic or even Cenozoic age of it. The existence of Late Cretaceous marine straits connecting the eastern and western seas surrounding the Urals land (Papulov, 1974; Amon, 2001) suggests that the modern Urals as a single continuous mountain chain was formed only in Cenozoic. The lithology and facies of the sediments of the neotectonic stage bear their own information on the character and development of neotectonic processes (e.g., Astakhov, 1984; Stefanovsky, Shub, 1997; Unific and its significance for correlation of the eastern and western parts of Europe 11 stratigraphic schemes, 1997). Oligocene in the Urals is preserved in the Preuralian, Orsk-Tanalyk and Transuralian zones and is represented by quartz sandstones, siltstones and clays of alluvial and lacustrine nature. The thickness is up to 50 m. Miocene in the Preuralian zone is represented by Preuralian series developed in karst depressions situated above the Kungurian evaporites and constituted of quartz sands, silts, clays, sometimes conglomerates, up to 300–350 m of total thickness, with coal seams (Yakchemovich and Adrianova, 1959). In higher places of the zone Miocene is represented by lacustrine and alluvial terrigenous sediments. In the Late Miocene after the accumulation of the Preuralian series a period of an intense erosion started, though is is hard to explain it by an uplift of the territory. Oppositely, it was due to a messinian-like event of a great depression of the Caspian sea (lake) level. The valleys of Belaya and Ural river were eroded down to 100–200 m below the modern sea level, while the depth of the Caspian sea level was at – 550 m (Milanovsky, 1963; Sidnev, 1985; Rozhdestvensky, Zinyakhina, 1997; Leonov et al., 1998). Meanwhile, due to the uplift of the Urals the upper reaches of these rivers have not so anomalously downcut valleys (Varlamov, 1960). In the central part of the Urals, Miocene is sporadic; in the area of Beloretsk it is also represented by the coal-bearing sediments of the Preuralian series (Kozlov, 1976); in other places, lacustrine and alluvial sediments are predominant. In the Transuralian zone, erosion was predominant, and only locally deluvial and eluvial-proluvial red-coloured sediments were accumulated. Pliocene in the Preuralian zone was a time of filling up of the downcut river valleys. First it were coarse- grained alluvial-lacustrine sediments; they changed upwards by less coarse silty-clayish Aktschagyl sediments with marine fauna, up to 120 m thick. Due to rise of the Caspian lake above the normal level, the ingression of brackish waters far into the river valleys took place (Sidnev, 1985; Danukalova, 1996). In the Central Urals Pliocene is represented sporadically in erosional depressions by red-coloured alluvial, deluvial-lacustrine sediments (clays, silts, gravel and pebble boulders. For the first time, the sediments are clearly polymictic which witnesses for the acceleration of erosion. In the Transuralian zone Pliocene is represented by thin differently coloured clays, some sands, gravel and pebble. The Quaternary sediments are characterized by a greater role of coarse-grained, polymictic deposits of alluvial, alluvial-deluvial and fluvioglacial sediments. Most of the river terraces are dated as Quaternary (Stefanovsky, 1997). That is why the author has a feeling that the tectonic activity was accelerating through the neotectonic stage towards the modern time. The modern tectonic activity of the Urals is shown in many ways. First of all, the intense movements of the Earth’s surface were proved by the repeated topographic levelling. The velocities of the surface uplift are up to 5 mm/year which is by 10 times more than needed to make the Urals mountains since Oligocene (Trifonov, 1976; Kononenko et al, 1990). The Urals is known for its seismicity. Some strong and even destructive earthquakes were recorded during the historical period (Seismicity, 2001). They are concentrated mostly around the protruding salient of the Russian Platform, which is acting as an indenter. The measured maximal stress directions in the Middle Urals are oriented perpendicularly or slightly oblique to the structural grain of the Paleozoic basement. The intraplate stress resurresting some “weak” zones is probably responsible for the modern deformations and uplift of the Urals. The data on the stress which is experienced now by the Urals was used in the attempt to explain the mechanism of the formation of the modern Ural mountains (Mikhailov et al., 2002). The presence of the cold, rigid Magnitogorsk block taken into account, it was shown that under sufficient intraplate stress the territory immediately to the West of this block ought to be deformed with an origin of a fault (destruction zone), deep in the crust under the Central and Western Uralian zones, where maximal deformations and uplift are concentrated.

12 Upper Pliocene and Pleistocene of the Southern Urals region

References Amon, E. O., 2001. The Marine aquatoria of the Uralian region in the Mid- and Late Cretaceous time. (in Russian). Geology and Geophysics 42, N 3: 471–483. Arkhangelsky, N. N., Vyalukhin, G. I., Umova, D. A., Shatrov, V. P., 1968. Mezozoic Tectonics of the eastern slope of the Southern Urals and Trans-Urals. (In Russian). Nauka (Moscow): 166 pp. Astakhov, V. I., 1984. Urals. In: Stratigraphy of the USSR. Quaternary system, Volume 2 (In Russian). Nedra (Moscow): 193–226. Bachmanov, D. M., Govorova N. N., Skobelev S. F., Trifonov V. G., 2001. (in Russian). Neotectonics of the Urals (problems and decisions). Geotectonics, 5: 61–75. Borisevich, D. V., 1992. Neotectonics of the Urals. (in Russian). Geotectonics, 26: 41–47 (N1, 1992: 57–67). Cenozoic of the Bashkir Fore-Urals. Stages of the geological development of the Bashkir Fore-Urals in Cenozoic, 1970. (In Russian). In: Yakchemovich, V. L. (ed.): Volume 2, part 3. Nauka (Moscow): 136 pp. Danukalova, G. A., 1996. Bivalves and Aktschagylian stratigraphy (in Russian). Nauka (Moscow): 132 pp. Glasmacher, U. A., Wagner, G. A., Puchkov, V. N., 2001. Thermo-tectonic evolution of the western Fold-and- Thrust belt, Southern Urals, Russia, from the Late Paleozoic till Neogene as revealed by apatite fission-track data. (in Russian). In: Post-collisionary evolution of mobile zone. Ekaterinburg: 55. Glasmacher, U. A., Reynolds, P., Alekseev, A. A., Puchkov, V. N., Taylor, K., Gorozhanin, V., Walter, R., 1999. 40Ar/39Ar Thermochronology west of the Main Uralian Fault, Southern Urals Russia. Geol. Rdsch., 87: 515–525. Kazansev, Yu. V., Kazanseva, T. T., Kamaletdinov, M. A. et al., 1995. The First Tectonic-Seismic map of the Eastern Bashkortostan. IG UNC RAN (Ufa): 44 pp. Kazansev, Yu. V., Kazanseva, T. T., Kamaletdinov, M. A. et al., 1996. Seismic genesus and structure of the Central Bashkortostan. IG UNC RAN (Ufa): 71 pp. Kolokolov, A. A., Lvov, K. A., 1945. About traces of the glaciation on the Southern Urals (in Russian). News of The Geographical society of the USSR, 1–2: 88–107. Kononenko, I. I., Khalevin, N. I., Blyumin M. A., Yaroshenko, V. R., 1990. Modern geodynamics of the Urals (In Russian). UO AN USSR (Sverdlovsk): 94 pp. Kopp, M. L., 1999. The neotectonics of platforms of the South-Eastern Europe as a result of collision in the peri- Arabian sector of the Alpine belt. (In Russian). In: Problems of geodynamics of the lithosphere. Nauka (Moscow): 179–216. Kozlov, V. I., 1976. Coal-bearing Paleogene and Neogene deposits of the Tirljan syncle. (in Russian). In: Questions of stratigraphy and correlation of Pliocene and Pleistocene deposits of the Northern and Southern parts of the Fore- Urals. BFAN USSR (Ufa): 213–227. Leech, M. L., Stockli, D. F., 2000. The late exhumation history of the ultrahigh-pressure Maksyutov complex South Ural Mountains, from new apatite fission track data. Tectonics, 19, N 1: 153–167. Leonov, Yu. G., Antipov, M. P., Volozh, Yu. A. et al., 1998. Geological aspects of the problem of changing of Caspian sea level. (in Russian). In: Global changings of the environment. NIC OGGM (Novosibirsk): 30–57. Levina, N. B., Funtikov, B. V., Batrak, I. E., 2001. Mountain-valley glaciation of the Southern Urals (in Russian). In: Geology and perspectives of the broadening of the source of raw materials of the Bashkortostan and adjacent territories 1. IG UNC RAN (Ufa): 151–154. Mikhailov V.O.,Kisseleva Ye.A., Smolyaninova Ye.I., Timoshkina Ye.P., Tevelev A.V., 2002. Evaluation of regional and local stress fields along the Profile URSEIS–95. In: The deep structure and geodynamics of the Southern Urals. GERS publishing House, Tver, 2001, pp. 275–284 (in Russian). Milanovsky, E. E., 1963. For the palaeogeography of the Caspian bassin in the Middle and the beginning of the Late Pliocene. Bulletin of MOIP, geology, 38 (3): 23–26. and its significance for correlation of the eastern and western parts of Europe 13

Minibaev, R. A., Sulutdinov, R. M., 2001. First results of the study of thrust dislocations zones of the Southern Urals with the help of the palaeomagnetic method. (in Russian). IG UNC RAN (Ufa): 40 pp. Papulov, G. N., 1974. Cretaceous deposits of the Urals. (in Russian). Nauka (Moscow): 202 pp. Puchkov, V. N., 1988. Correlation and geodynamic features of Pre-Alpine tectonic movements throughout and around the Alpine orogene. Studia Geologica Polonica 91: 77–92. Puchkov, V. N., 1997. Structure and geodynamics of the Uralian orogen. In: Burg, J.–P. and Ford, M. (eds.): Orogeny Through Time. Geol. Soc. London, Spec. Publ. 121: 201–236. Puchkov, V. N., 2000. Palaeogeodynamics of the Southern and Middle Urals. (in Russian). Dauriya (Ufa): 146 pp. Puchkov, V. N., 2001. Features of the Post-Variscian tectonic development of the Southern Fore-Urals. (in Russian). In: Post-collisionary evolution of mobile zone. (Ekaterinburg): 149–155. Reiners, P., 2002. (U–Th) / He chronometry experiences a renaissance. EOS, 83: 15 January. Rozhdestvensky, A. P., 1971. Newest tectonics and relief development of the Southern Fore-Urals. (in Russian). Nauka (Moscow): 303 pp. Rozhdestvensky, A. P., 1997. Relief development of the Urals in the Cenozoic. Quaternary. IG UNC RAN (Ufa): 22 pp. Rozhdestvensky, A. P., Zinyakhina, I. K., 1997. Relief development of the Urals in the Cenozoic. Neogene. IG UNC RAN (Ufa): 45 pp. Seismicity and seismic zoning of the Uralian region. (in Russian). In: Utkin, V. (ed.): Ekaterinburg, Uralian Branch of RAS: 125 pp. Seward D., Pérez-Estaún A., Puchkov V., 1997. Preliminary fission-track results from the southern Urals – Sterlitamak to Magnitogorsk. (in Russian). Tectonophysics 276, N 1–4: 281–290 (Europrobe volume). Seward, D., Brown, D., Hetzel, R., Friberg, M., Gerdes, A., Petrov, G. A. and Pérez-Estaún, A., 2002. The syn- and post-orogenic low temperature events of the Southern and Middle Uralides: evidence from fission-track analysis, in Orogenic Processes in the Uralides. In: Brown, D., Juhlin, C. and Puchkov, V. (eds.): AGU Geophysical Monograph Series (in press). Stefanovsky, V. V., 1997. Stratigraphic scheme of the Quaternary deposits of the Urals. (in Russian). In: Explaining paper for Unific stratigraphic schemes of the Urals (Mezozoic, Cenozoic), 1997. Stratigraphic Committee of the Russia (Ekaterinburg): 97–139. Stefanovsky, V. V., Shub, V. S., 1997. Stratigraphic scheme of the Neogene deposits of the Urals. (in Russian). In: Explaining paper for Unific stratigraphic schemes of the Urals (Mezozoic, Cenozoic), 1997. Stratigraphic Committee of the Russia (Ekaterinburg): 79–96. Sydnev, A. V., 1986. History of the Pliocene drainage of the Fore-Urals. (in Russian). Nauka (Moscow): 222 pp. Tevelev, A. V., 2002. Tectonics and kinematics of strike-slip zones. Thesis of doctor Diss., Moscow State University: 49 pp. Trifonov, V. G., 1999. Neotectonics of Eurasia. (in Russian). Nauchny mir (Moscow): 252 pp. Tuzhikova, V. I., 1973. History of the Lower Carbonian coal accumulation in the Urals. (in Russian). Nauka (Moscow): 257 pp. Unific stratigraphic schemes of the Urals (Mezozoic, Cenozoic), 1997. (in Russian). Stratigraphic Committee of the Russia (Ekaterinburg): 27 schemes. Varlamov, I. P., 1960. The recent tectonics of the Bashkirian Preuralian zone and adjacent territory of the Southern Urals. (in Russian). In: Geomorphology and Neotectonics of the Volgo-Uralian area and the Southern Urals. Ufa: 277–283. Yakchemovich, V. L., Adrianova, O. S., 1959. Southern Urals coal bassin. (In Russian). In: Cenozoic of the Bashkir Fore-Urals. Volume 1, part 3. BFAN USSR (Ufa): 300 pp. Zonenshain, L. P., Savostin, L. A., Baranov, B. V., 1984. Boundaries of lithospheric plates in and around the USSR. Episodes, 7, N 1: 43.

14 Upper Pliocene and Pleistocene of the Southern Urals region

THE STRATIGRAPHY OF THE UPPER PLIOCENE AND PLEISTOCENE DEPOSITS OF THE SOUTHERN URALS REGION

In accordance with the “Stratigraphic scheme of Pliocene and Pleistocene deposits of the Volga-Urals area” the following Pliocene units are distinguished in the Southern Fore-Urals: 1) Kinel Series, subdivided into six suites: I–III Tchebenka (Upper Pontian (?) – Kimmerian); Karlaman and Kumurly (Lower Aktschagyl); Zilim-Vasiljevo (the beginning of the Middle Aktschagyl); 2) Akkulaevo (maximum of the middle Aktschagylian transgression/ingression); 3) Voevodskoye (Upper Aktschagyl); The Eopleistocene (Apsheron) is subdivided into two units (links) (Unific schemes, 1980): 1) Dema, Davlekanovo Horizons (Lower Apsheron); 2) Karmasan Horizon (Upper Apsheron) In the Southern Fore-Urals The Neopleistocene is subdivided into three units (links) with the horizons: 1) October, Minzityarovo, Chui-Atasevo, Chusovskoye (Lower Neopleistocene); 2) Belaya, Larevka, Gornova, Yelovka (Middle Neopleistocene); 3) Mikulino, Saigatka, Tabulda, Kudashevo (Upper Neopleistocene). A summarising description of the Upper Pliocene – Pleistocene deposits from the Southern Urals region (the middle and lower course of the river Belaya) is presented below.

Neogene Pliocene Aktschagyl stage Middle substage

The Zilim-Vasiljevo Beds were formed at the beginning of the transgression into the drainage system (before the transgression’s maximum). In the lower part of these beds a layer of black organic clay with gravel and pebbles occurs at the base. This is overlain by Bluish-grey and greenish-grey, brown dense sticky clay with sandy interbeds. The average thicknes of the unit is 18–24 m (the thickness varies from 4 to 41 m). The flora present during this period was closely similar to that of today: i.e. the Akchagyl flora proper. Picea-Pinus forests were predominant in the north, whilst Picea forests with Tsuga and Pinus grew in the south. The beginning of this period is characterised by a climatic amelioration when Pinus- and broad-leaf forests with rich herb vegetation appeared. The Ostracod fauna showed a development from euryhaline to brackish-water conditions whilst the Mollusc fauna was of the freshwater type. The deposits are correlated with the lower part of the Matuyama paleomagnetic Epoch; i.e. their top often coincides with the base of Réunion Episode. and its significance for correlation of the eastern and western parts of Europe 15

The Akkulaevo Beds were laid down during the maximum of the Aktschagylian ingression. The upper part of these beds consists of deltaic sands which include a lens of clay (4–4,5 m thick) and gravel (shingle) containing marine and freshwater (Levantine) molluscs, mammalian remains of the Chaprov complex and wood. The lower (marine) part of this unit consists of sands and clays upto 20–25 m thick. Erosional features sometimes occur in the middle part of the bed. Brackish water and marine Mollusca and Ostracoda characterise the lower part of the unit (Yakchemovich et al., 1992; Danukalova, 1996). The flora represented in these sediments is of the modern forest type with Tsuga and single relic forms; but overall modern species predominate. The vegetation of this time reflected several temperature fluctuations. The final period when the upper deltaic part of this unit was formed was warm and Betula- broad-leaved forests and herbage steppe colonised the area. The Akkulaevo Beds are equated with the Biklyan and Menzelinsk Beds of the Lower Kama and with the Matuyama palaeomagnetic Epoch (Yakchemovich et al., 1981).

Upper substage

The Voevodskoje Beds cover the erional surface of the Akkulaevo Beds; they are subdivided into the lower and the upper part. The lower part of this unit consists of alluvial gravels and sands with a strong secondary iron- staining. The inwash of ferric hydrate took place after after deposition of the upper part of the Voevodskoje Beds. The thickness is about 2,5 m. The upper part of this unit consists of brackish water, liman sediments. Two different levels can be recognised: a) gravel (Shingle), coquina and marl silt deposits with Cerastoderma, Aktschagylia and Dreissena, Foraminifera and Ostracoda that represent a transgressive phase (Danukalova, 1996); b) deposits of the drying liman that represent a regressive phase. The thickness is 2,8–10 m. The flora represented in the sediments is of the modern forest-steppe type that changed into a taiga type of vegetation, with single species that are phylogenetically close to presentday species together with species that have, nowadays, a more southern distribution (Fraxinus, Elaeagus). The vegetation changed from a Poaceae-herb steppe and forest-steppe through a Betula-Pinus forest to a Picea taiga. The deposits are equated with the upper part with the Ilchembet Episode of the Matuyama palaeomagnetic Epoch (Yakchemovich, Suleimanova, 1981).

Quaternary System

Quaternary deposits are widespread in the territory of the Southern Fore-Urals. G.V. Vachrushev, L.A. Yushko, K.V. Nikiforova (1937), V.I. Gromov (1941), N.A. Preobrazhensky, V.L.Yakchemovich et al. investigated these sediments (Yakchemovich 1965; Yakchemovich et al., 1977, 1980, 1981, 1983, 1987, 1992; Nemkova et al., 1972; Cenozoic of the Bashkirian Fore-Urals. Stages of the geological development of the Bashkirian Fore-Urals in Cenozoic, 1970; Stratigraphy of the USSR. Quaternary system, 1984, 1986; Sydnev, 1986). The Bureau of the ISC postulated the Stratigraphic scheme of Quaternary deposits of the area of Permian, Bashkirian and Orenburgian Fore-Urals as the standard of the area in 1984.

16 Upper Pliocene and Pleistocene of the Southern Urals region

Pleistocene Eopleistocene –Apsheron

In the Fore-Urals terrestrial lacustrine and alluvial deposits at the lower interfluves and high terrace deposits of nonglacial origin with low thickness and a small quantity of organic remains represent the Eopleistocene. For a long period of time it was regarded as terrestrial deposits of the Upper Aktschagyl (the Domashka Suite). Nowadays it is subdivided into the Dema, Davlekanovo and Karmasan Superhorizons of the Lower, Middle and Upper Subformations. The deposits are equated with the upper part of the Matuyama palaeomagnetic Epoch.

Lower Eopleistocene

The Dema Superhorizon. The lower part consists of alluvial and lacustrine sediments (2–10 m thick); the upper part of reddish-brown lacustrine loams (1–3 m thick) with marl concretions. The first part of this period is characterized by a Pinus-Betula forests and a herb steppe; isolated pollen of Pinus sect. cembrae, Picea excelsa Link.and herbs are known from the upper part of the deposits. The small mammal fauna from the lower part, with Promimomys moldavicus jachimovichi Sukhov, Prolagurus (P.) cf. praepannonicus Topač. and Allophaiomys cf. pliocaenicus Kormos, corresponds to the Odessa Complex. Characteristic molluscs are Bogatchevia ex gr. sturi (Horn.), Corbicula apscheronica Andrus., Viviparus aff. tiraspolitanus Pavl., V. subcrassus Lung., Lithoglyphus neumayeri Brus. and Bithynia vucatinovici Brus. The upper part contains Candona aff. candida (O. Müll.), Eucypris ex gr. horridus (Sars), E. famosa (Schn.) and Denticulocythere producta (Task. et Koz.). Subaerial deposits were formed in the interfluves. The Olduvai palaeomagnetic Event that correlates with the Pliocene–Pleistocene boundary is located in the lower part of this unit. The Davlekanovo Superhorizon. The lower part (0,6–2 m thick) is represented by alluvial sediments deposited by small rivers; the upper part by lacustrine loams (0,2–3 m thick). The small mammal fauna of the lower part with Lagurus (Lagurodon) cf. praepannonicus Topač., Allophaiomys pliocaenicus Kormos corresponds to the Odessa Complex. Characteristic molluscs are: Bogatschovia scutum Bog., B. subscutum Tshep., Microcondylaea apsheronica Tshep., Pseudosturia brusinaiformis Modell, Unio chasaricus Bog., U. apscheronicus Alizade. The landscape during the period of deposition is characterized by the presence of broadleaf forests in the river valleys and open woodlands in the interfluves. The period is equated with the Jaramillo Event of the Matuyama palaeomagnetic Epoch.

Upper Eopleistocene

The Karmasan Superhorizon. The lower part is represented by alluvial gravels and sands (0,9–1,5 m). The period of deposition is characterized by the presence of forest-steppe (small forests with Pinus, Picea, broad leaf taxa, Betula, Alnus) in the northern part of the region and by the presence of steppe with herbs, Artemisia, Chenopodiaceae and Poaceae in the south. The climate was warm and dry. The upper part of the unit is represented by dark-brown, reddish-brown lacustrine loams (1,8–2,1 m thick) with white-pink marlconcretions. and its significance for correlation of the eastern and western parts of Europe 17

Neopleistocene

Neopleistocene deposits, formed during Brunes paleomagnetic Epoch, are widely distributed in the territory described.

Lower Neopleistocene

The October Horizon. The deposits (6–8 m thick) located in deep river valleys (4–12 m below the modern levels), consist of alluvial, coarse gravels at the base covered by sands with pebble lenses. They lay on top of eroded Perm, Kinel or Aktschagyl deposits. The climate during deposition was warm. The mammalian fauna with Archidiskodon trogontherii wüsti (Pav.), Elasmotherium sibiricum Fischer, Panthera sp., Megaloceros sp. corresponds to faunas from the Tiraspol complex. The Minzityarovo Horizon. The horizon consists of lacustrine loams (3–4 m thick) with Archidiskodon trogontherii (Pohl.). Its upper part is of periglacial origin. The Chui-Atasevo Superhorizon is subdivided into three parts. The lower alluvial part is characterized by a fauna with freshwater and terrestrial molluscs and a Tiraspol small mammal fauna with: Microtus (Pitymys) gregaloides Hinton, Microtus ex gr. arvalis-agrestis, Mimomys (Microtomys) pusillus Mehely, Microtus ex gr. oeconomus Pallas, Clethrionomys ex gr. glareolus Schreber, Mimomys (Cromeromys) intermedius Newton, Lagurus transiens Janossy, Microtus (Stenocranius) gregalis Pallas, Мicrotus ex gr. malei-hyperboreus, Ochotona sp., Myospalax sp., Sicista sp., Citellus sp. The thickness of the lower part, deposited under warm climatic conditions, is 4–6 m. The middle part consists of periglacial lacustrine deposits. The upper part with sands and gravels contains remains of small mammals: Microtus (Pitymys) gregaloides Hinton, M. (P.) hintoni Kretzoi, M. ex gr. arvalis-agrestis. Usual were – M. ex gr. oeconomus Pallas, Mimomys (Microtomys) pusillus Mehely, Lagurus transiens Janossy, M. (Cromeromys) intermedius Newton, Microtus (Stenocranius) gregalis Pallas, M. ex gr. malei-hyperboreus, Clethrionomys ex gr. glareolus Schreber, Cl. (?) ex gr. glareolus Schreber, Sorex sp., Ochotona sp., Allophaiomys pliocaenicus Kormos, Prolagurus (Prolagurus) cf. posterius Zazhigin, Arvicola mosbachensis Schmidtgen, Talpa sp., Citellus sp., Miospalax sp., Eolagurus luteus praeluteus Schevtchenko, Lemmus sp., M. (P.) arvaloides Hinton, Cricetus sp., Allactaga sp. and Lepus sp. The «Chui-Atasevo» palaeomagnetic Episode of reverse polarity is correlated to these deposits. The deposits of this superhorizon are equated to the Belovezhsk, Don and Il’insk horizons of the interregional stratigraphic scale. The Chusovskoye Horizon. In the extra glacial area the deposits consists of lacustrine and lacustrine- colluvial periglacial sediments (sands and loams) (8 m thick). Chenopodiaceae and herbs dominated the vegetation during the time of deposition.

Middle Neopleistocene

The Belaya Horizon. The deposits, located in deep river valleys, consists of gravels, sands and dark grey lacustrine loams on top of eroded Early Neopleistocene or Permian deposits. The thickness is 3–7 m.

18 Upper Pliocene and Pleistocene of the Southern Urals region

Remains of Mammuthus chosaricus Dubrovo, Coelodonta antiquitatis Blum. and Bison sp. are known from this horizon. Based on carpological remains from the lacustrine deposits it is concluded (by P.I. Dorofeev) that the vegetation is similar to the Syngyl or Hazar floras. The Larevka Horizon. The horizon consists of glacio-lacustrine deposits with periglacial sands and loams located in the upper part of the IV terrace. The thickness is 6–15 m. The small mammal fauna from the periglacial gravels of the Krasnyi Yar section corresponds to the Hazar fauna Complex. Represented species are: Lagurus lagurus Pallas, Microtus (Stenocranius) gregalis Pallas, Eolagurus luteus Eversmann, Microtus (Microtus) ex gr. oeconomus Pallas, Marmota aff. bobac Müller, Mustela (Mustela) nivalis L., Citellus sp., Alactagulus sp., Ochotona sp., Arvicola cf. chosaricus Alexandrova, Cricetulus sp., Allocricetulus eversmanni Brandt, Allactaga sp. The Gornova Horizon. The horizon consists of lacustrine blue and dark grey loams, sandy loams and alluvial gravels that form the lower part of III floodplain terrace. There is a gradual transition of the deposits of this horizon to the deposits referred to the Larevka Horizon. The thickness is 1,5–8 m. Remains of Mammuthus chosaricus Dubrovo, Mammuthus primigenius Blum., Coelodonta antiquitatis Blum., Bison priscus gigas Flerov, B. priscus mediator Hifzh., Bos primigenius Boj., Alces alces L., Megaloceros giganteus cf. giganteus (Blum.), Cervus elaphus L., Camelus sp., Equus cf. hemionus Pall., Equus cabalus fossilis are known from this horizon. The fauna corresponds to the Upper Palaeolithic complex with a number of Khazar mammal species. Smaller mammals are represented by Microtus (Stenocranius) gregalis Pallas, Lagurus lagurus Pallas, Eolagurus luteus Pallas, Microtus (Microtus) oeconomus Pallas, Sicista sp., Microtus ex gr. arvalis-agrestis, Ochotona sp., Ellobius sp., Marmota sp., Clethrionomys cf. glareolus Schreber, Arvicola sp., Alactagulus sp., Cricetulus sp. (Sections Klimovka, Gruzdevka). The Yelovka Horizon. The horizon consists of lacustrine-colluvial loams, which form the upper part of III floodplain terrace. The thickness is 6–14 m. Mammuthus primigenius Blum., Coelodonta antiquitatis Blum., Bison priscus Boj. representing the early stages of the Upper Palaeolithic complex of large mammals, are known from these deposits.

Upper Neopleistocene

The Mikulino Horizon. Alluvial deposits, referred to this Horizon, are practically unknown; these deposits might be covered locally by sediments of the Ostashkovo Horizon, due to tectonic uplift of the territory and fluvial erosion. Lacustrine silts (0,2–0,8 m) with intercalated soils and a freshwater mollusc fauna are known in the Bashkirian Fore-Urals (Sultanaevo). The yellowish-brown loess clayey loams (3 m) from the middle part of the III terrace above the floodplain of the river Kama (Krasnyi Bor) (with a small mammal fauna of described by V.P.Sukhov (1972)) is according to Yakovlev of Mikulino age. The period of deposition is characterized by the presence of a Pinus-Betula forests with Picea, Tilia, Quercus, Ulmus and Carpinus. Open territories were covered by grasslands with herbs and Chenopodiaceae (Nemkova, 1981). The Saigatka Horizon. The horizon, exposed on the left bank of the river Kama, is subdivided into two units. The lower consists of loess loams with precipitation of carbonate, iron and manganese hydroxides, the upper part of greenish-brownlacustrine silts. The total thickness is 0,35–1 m. In the Bashkirian Fore- Urals the deposits of this horizon consists of greenish-brown clays and yellowish-brown loams intercalated with subaerial sediments and periglacial brown loams of the III terrace. and its significance for correlation of the eastern and western parts of Europe 19

Small mammals, molluscs and ostracoda are known from these deposits. The vegetation during the cold period of deposition is characterized by a periglacial steppe with a coniferous open forest (Nemkova, 1981). The Tabulda Horizon. Deposits referred to this horizon are widely distributed in river valleys of the South Fore-Urals, in the lower part of the II terrace. The deposits consist of fluvial and lake sediments (3–7 m thick) and subaerial sediments (the soil is 0,2–0,6 m thick). Remains of large mammals, molluscs, ostracoda and Upper Palaeolithic flint implements are known. The radiocarbon dates are: 34900±100 y. (LU–1377А) (Tabulda), 22660±125 (BashGI–35) and 28800± 124 (BashGI–36) (Gornova). The vegetation during the time of deposition is characterised by a Pinus-forest with some deciduous trees (Tilia, Quercus, Carpinus and Betula). A Picea-Pinus forest with Abies dominated the beginning and the end of the interglacial and in the north of the region (Gornova a.o.) (Nemkova, 1981). The Kudashevo Horizon. The periglacial fluviatile and lacustrine, slope deposits on the II terrace (7–13 m; subaerial 1,25 m) are widely spread. They covered the interfluves and its slopes. Radiocarbon data indicate an age of 18315±300 (BashGI–41) (Old Kudashevo) (Yakchemovich, Nemkova, et al., 1981). A herbage-Artemisia-Chenopodiaceae grassland-steppe association characterised the vegetation during the time of deposition. A Picea-forest with Betula and broad-leaf taxa occurred in the river valleys (Nemkova, 1981). Table 1 shows the correlation between the subdivision of the Upper Pliocene, Eopleistocene and Neopleistocene in the Southern Fore-Urals and the schemes which are used as standards in other areas: the East European Platform (RISC, 2000) and Europe (W.H. Zagwijn, 1996; Berggren et al., 1995).

References

Berggren, W. A. et al., 1995. A revised Cenozoic Geochronology and Chronostratigraphy. SEPM Special Publication 54: 138–145. Cenozoic of the Bashkirian Fore-Urals. Stages of the geological development of the Bashkirian Fore-Urals in Cenozoic, 1970. Ed. Yakchemovich, V. L. Volum 2, part 3. (in Russian). Nauka (Moscow): 136 pp. Danukalova, G. A., 1996. Bivalves and Aktschagylian stratigraphy (in Russian). Nauka (Moscow): 132 pp. Gromov, V. I., 1941. Mammals remains from the western slope of the Southern Urals (in Russian). In: Materials for Quaternary deposits of Bashkiria and Near-Volga region. Ufa. Nemkova, V. K., 1981. The Pliocene, Pleistocene and Holocene flora and vegetation in Fore-Urals region (in Russian). In: Pliocene and Pleistocene of the Volga-Urals region. Nauka (Moscow): 69–77. Nemkova, V. K., Popov, G. I., Popova-Lvova, M. G. et al., 1972. Fauna and flora of Akkulaevo (in Russian). BFAN USSR (Ufa): 144 pp. Stratigraphy of the USSR. Neogene system, 1986. Volume 1 (in Russian). Nedra (Moscow): 429 pp. Stratigraphy of the USSR. Quaternary system, 1984. Volume 2 (in Russian). Nedra (Moscow): Sydnev, A. V., 1986. History of the Pliocene drainage of the Fore-Urals (in Russian). Nauka (Moscow): 222 pp. Unific and correlative stratigraphical schemes of the Urals. Sverdlovsk, 1980. Yakchemovich, V. L., Nemkova, V. K., Bezzubova E. I., Sydnev, A. V., 1980. Fauna and flora of Voevodskoye (in Russian). BFAN USSR (Ufa): 173 pp. Yakchemovich, V. L., Nemkova, V. K., Chepalyga A. L. et al., 1983. Fauna and flora of Sultanaevo-Yulushevo (in Russian). Nauka (Moscow): 152 pp.

20 Upper Pliocene and Pleistocene of the Southern Urals region

and its significance for correlation of the eastern and western parts of Europe 21

Yakchemovich, V. L., Nemkova, V. K., Latypova, E. K., Popova-Lvova, M. G., Yakovlev, A. G., Ismagylova, G. M., Suleimanova, F. I., 1992. Fauna and Flora of The Cenozoic of the Fore-Urals and some aspects of the magnitostratigraphy. BNC UO RAN (Ufa): 132 pp. Yakchemovich, V. L., Suleimanova, F. I., 1981. Magnitostratigraphical section of the Pliocene and Lower Pleistocene of the nonglacial zone of the Fore-Urals (in Russian). In: Pliocene and Pleistocene of the Volga-Urals region. Nauka (Moscow): 59–69. Yakchemovitch V. L, Nemkova, V. K., Suleimanova, et al., 1981. Pliocene and Pleistocene of the Volga-Urals region (in Russian). Nauka (Moscow): 176 pp. Yakchemovich, V. L, 1965. Anthropogene deposits of the Southern Fore-Urals (in Russian). In: Anthropogene of the Southern Urals. Nauka (Moscow): 36–53 (description of the section – pp. 40–44). Yakchemovich, V. L, Nemkova, V. K., Suleimanova, F. I., Dorofeev, P. I., Popova-Lvova, M. G., Sydnev, A. V., Chepalyga, A. L., Sukhov, V. P., Bezzubova, E. I., Rogoza, I. B., 1977. Fauna and flora of Symbugino (in Russian). Nauka (Moscow): 234 pp. Yakchemovich, V. L, Nemkova, V. K., Sydnev, A. V., Suleimanova, F. I., Khabibullina, G. A., Sherbakova, T. I., Yakovlev, A. G., 1987. Pleistocene of the Fore-Urals (in Russian). Nauka (Moscow): 113 pp. Yushko, L. A., Nikiforova, K. V., 1937. About Quaternary deposits of the Southern Urals in the Belaya river bassin (in Russian). In: For Bashkirian oil 4: 23–25. Zagwijn, W. H., 1996. Borders and boundaries: a century of stratigraphical research in the Tegelen-Reuver area of Limburg (The Netherlands). In: Volume of Abstracts of the INQUA–SEQS conference “The dawn of the Quaternary”, 16–21 June, 1996: 2–9.

22 Upper Pliocene and Pleistocene of the Southern Urals region

RADIOCARBON DATA

Material for radiocarbon dating (wood, peat, charcoal, large and small mammal remains) was collected during the investigations in the territory of the Southern Urals region by scientists of the Cenozoic Laboratory of the Institute of Geology Scientific Centre of Ufa RAS. The published and new radiocarbon data are summarised in Table 1. Dates marked by * are obtained in the period 1995–2001. The radiocarbon data are from the Institute of Geology Scientific Centre of Ufa RAS, Geological Institute RAS (Moscow) and the Institute of Geography of the St. Petersburg State University (St.Petersburg).

Table 2. Radiocarbon data of material collected at localities in the Southern Urals region (Data collected by the Institute of Geology Scientific Centre of Ufa Russian Academy of Sciences)

Reg. Nr. of the № Age Locality Dated Material

scale scale data l units Climatic- Stratigraphic Stratigraphic Chronologica 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 v. Uteimullino, Kuz-Elga 1. 210±40* GIN – 10857а Wood river, I floodplane terrace v. Upper Lemeza, Lemeza river, 2. 250±40* GIN – 10858 Wood I floodplane terrace, layer 6 v. Arkaulovo, Yuryuzan river, Equus sp., lower 3. 380±70* LU – 4152 I floodplane terrace, layer 5, mandible 1,0 m depth v. Karjyatmas, peat bog, 4. 900±90 BashGI – 81 Peat 0,7–0,8 m depth v. Karjyatmas, peat bog, 0,25– 5. 1389±80 BashGI – 80 Peat 0,5 m depth Yukalykul I, peat bog, 6. 1460±80 BashGI – 86 Wood 0,6–0,7 m depth 7. 1600±50* GIN – 10852 Bajslan-Tash cave, layer 2 Wood coal v. Zorenka, Lemeza river, I 8. ± GIN – 10857б Wood

Subatlantic 1770 50* floodplane terrace v. Ishkarovo, Saryjaz river, 9. 1920±170 BashGI – 71 Peat peat bog, 1,1 m depth v. Ishkarovo, Saryjaz river, 10. 2630±110 BashGI – 102 Peat peat bog, 1,3–1,4 m depth v. Karjyatmas, peat bog, 11. 2650±70 BashGI – 82 Pinus sp., wood 1,4–1,6 m depth v. Tally-Kulevo, peat bog, 12. 2720±130 BashGI – 84 Peat 0,5–0,6 m depth v. Ishkarovo, Saryjaz river, Modern horizon Modern horizon ±

13. HOLOCENE 2760 60 BashGI – 103 Peat peat bog, 1,5–1,6 m depth v. Khvorostyanskoye, Tanalyk Equus sp., bones & 14. 2830±110* LU – 3713 river, Tanalyk II, 0,3–0,4 m teeth depth v. Ishkarovo, Saryjaz river, 15. 3110±90 BashGI – 104 Wood peat bog, 1,6–1,7 m depth Subboreal Subboreal v. Ishkarovo, Saryjaz river, 16. 3130±150 BashGI – 70 Peat peat bog, 2,75 m depth and its significance for correlation of the eastern and western parts of Europe 23

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Yukalykul II, peat bog, 17. 3160±160 BashGI – 88 Peat 1,2–1,3 m depth 18. 3210±150 BashGI – 57 v. Zuevy Klyuchi, Kama river Wood coal Yukalykul II, peat bog, 19. 3410±50 BashGI – 89 Mud with peat 1,3–1,5 m depth v. Karjyatmas, peat bog, 20. 3470±90 BashGI – LU–729 Peat with wood 2,0–2,2 mm depth Yukalykul II, peat bog, 21. 3720±100 BashGI – 87 Peat with wood 2,2–2,35 m depth 22. 3890±100 BashGI – 28 v. Utyagan, Azyak river v. Kileevo – v.Old Ilikovo, 23. 3980±180 BashGI – 69 Syun river v. Kalinovka, Lemeza river, 24. Subboreal 4620±40* GIN – 10859 I floodplane terrace, layer 7, Wood 3,9 m depth 25. 4650±150 BashGI – 85 v. Burnak, 0,65 m depth Peat 26. 5050±60 BashGI – 29 v. Utyagan, Azyak river v. Koyanovo, Mulyanka brook, 27. 6300±200 BashGI – 72 Peat peat bog, 1,5–1,6 m depth v. Kushnarenkovo, peat bog, 28. 6450±150 BashGI – 75 Peat 0,7–0,9 m depth 29. 6850±150 BashGI – 74 v. Bogatyrevo Wood v. Sharkan, Kama river, peat 30. 7050±100 BashGI – 54 Peat bog, 0,8 m depth v. Kileevo – v. Old Ilikovo, 31. 7100±150 BashGI – 68 Syun river Yukalykul II, peat bog, 32. 7110±220 BashGI – 90 Soil 1,5–1,8 m depth Atlantic Large mammal’s 33. 7140±170* GIN – 10854 Bajslan-Tash cave, layer 3 bone v. Ishkarovo, Saryjaz river, 34. 7620±90 BashGI – 105 Peat with wood peat bog, 2,6 m depth Oktyabrskyi town, Ik river, 35. 8320±110 BashGI – 58 Wood coal Mullino II Modern horizon Modern horizon HOLOCENE HOLOCENE Oktyabrskyi town, Ik river, 36. 8460±130 BashGI – 87 Mullino II, Wood layer of lacustrine clay Oktyabrskyi town, Ik river, 37. 8500±180 BashGI – 59 Wood coal Mullino II v. Sharkan, Kama river, peat 38. 8510±150 BashGI – 55 Peat bog, 1,9 m depth 39. 8570±40 BashGI – 31 v.Ishbulatovo, Belaya river v.Dutovo, Pechora river, 1,7– 40. 8730±150 BashGI – 13 Peat

Boreal 2,1 m depth v. Sharkan, Kama river, peat 41. 8820±250 BashGI – 56 Peat bog, 2 m depth 42. 8880±60 BashGI – 32 v. Ishbulatovo, Belaya river 43. 9260±210 BashGI – 83 v. Abdullino, 1,6–1,7 m depth Peat v. Kholodny Klyuch, Sand with wood 44. 9620±50 BashGI – 76 Syun I, 1,2–1,6 mm depth coal v. Kholodny Klyuch, 45. 9650±50 BashGI – 77 Wood coal Preboreal Syun I, 1,2–1,6 m depth

24 Upper Pliocene and Pleistocene of the Southern Urals region

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 46. Dryas III 10700±220 BashGI – 22 Nyzva river, peat bog, 3,3 m d. Peat 47. 11270±55 BashGI – 42 v. Old Kudashevo, Orjya river Wood Alleröd 48. 11680±90 BashGI – 43 v. Old Kudashevo, Orjya river Wood v. Zlatoustovka, Ashkadar Coelodonta antiqui- 49. 12330±120 LU – 1668 Dryas II river, floodplane terrace tatis Blum., teeth 50. 12380±150* LU – 3861 Zapovednaja cave, floor Wood coal Small mammals 51. Dryas I 13560±250* GIN – 108533 Bajslan-Tash cave, layer 4 bones v. Kholodny Klyuch, 52. Arctic 17000±100 BashGI – 78 Wood Syun I, 4,3–4,6 m depth v. Kholodny Klyuch, 53. 17200±170 BashGI – 79 Wood Syun I, 4,3–4,6 m depth 54. 18310±300 BashGI – 41 v. Old Kudashevo, Orjya river v. Gornova, Belaya river, II 55. 21280±550 LE – 145 floodplane terrace, section II, Wood layer 2 v. Gornova, Belaya river, II 56. Ostashkovo horizon 22660±125 BashGI – 35 floodplane terrace, section II, Wood layer 2 Spelaearctos 57. 22750±1210* LU – 3714 Verkhnyja cave, floor spelaeus (Rosen. et Heinroth), bone 58. 25798±100 BashGI – 34 v. Aknanyshbash Wood v. Gornova, Belaya river, II 59. 26950±560* LU – 3711 floodplane terrace, section II, Wood layer 2 v. Gornova, Belaya river, II 60. 26990±150* LU – 3712 floodplane terrace, section II, Wood layer 2 61. 27570±480 BashGI – 33 v.Aknanyshbash Wood v. Gornova, Belaya river, II 62. 28800±125 BashGI – 36 floodplane terrace, section II, Wood layer 2 Zapovednaja cave, layer 3; Spelaearctos 63. 28700±1050* LU – 3715 spelaeus (Rosen. et 0,75 m depth Heinroth), bone v. Gornova, Belaya river, II 64. 29700±1250 H–1856/1287 floodplane terrace, stripping 2, Wood layer 2 v. Lower Bikkuzino, Belaya Equus latipes, 65. 30700+800* GIN – 10856 river, II floodplane terrace cannon bone v. Tabulda, Sukhoi Kundryak Mammuthus 66. 31360±250 LE – 2153

UPPER NEOPLEISTOCENE river primigenius, bones v. Gornova, Belaya river, II 67. ≥ 33670* LU – 3712 over flood plane terrace, Bison sp., teeth section II, layer 3 v. Tabulda, Sukhoi Kundryak Mammuthus 68. 34910±300 LE – 2154 river primigenius, bones Leningrad horizon v. Tabulda, Sukhoi Kundryak Mammuthus 69. 34900 LU – 1377А river primigenius, bones v. Krasnyi Bor, lacustrine 70. 35650±170 BashGI – 73 Wood loams, lower part Mammuthus 71. 360000 LU – 1380А v. Buribai, quarry primigenius, tusk Spelaearctos 72. 37250* LU – 3876 Zapovednaja cave, floor spelaeus (Rosen. et Heinroth), bone 73. > 38100* GIN – 10855 Bajslan-Tash cave, layer 4 Equus sp., bone and its significance for correlation of the eastern and western parts of Europe 25

References Danukalova, G. A., Yakovlev, A. G., 2001. Finds of Proboscidean remains in the territory of the Southern Urals region. In: The World of Elephants. Proceedings of the 1st International congress (Roma): 201–204. Danukalova, G. A., Yakovlev, A. G., Kotov, V. G., 2000. Age, biostratigraphy and archaeology of lacustrine deposits of second overflood river terraces of the Southern Fore-Urals (in Russian). Geological Collection 1: 69–72. Danukalova, G. A., Yakovlev, A. G., Alimbekova, L. I., Kosintcev, P. A., Morozova E. M., Eremeev, A. A., 2002. Biostratigraphy of the quaternary deposits of caves and river terraces of the latitude current of the Belaya river (in Russian). In: Ecological aspects of the Yumaguzino reservoir. Gilem (Ufa): 32–57. Latypova, E. K., Yakheemovich, B. L., 1993. Geochronology of the Pleistocene and Holocene in the Fore-Urals. Radiocarbon, Vol. 35, No. 3: 441–447. Matyushin, G. N., Nemkova, V. K., Yakchemovich, V. L., 1976. Radiocarbon chronology and Mezolithic and younger cultures periodisation of the Fore-Urals, Southern Urals and Lower Kama region (in Russian). In: Actual Questions of the modern Geochronology. Nauka (Moscow): 244–258. Nemkova, V. K., 1976. History of the vegetation of the Fore-Urals during Late- and Post Glacial time (in Russian). In: Actual Questions of the modern Geochronology. Nauka (Moscow): 259–275. Yakchemovich, V. L., 1965. Anthropogene deposits of the Southern Fore-Urals (in Russian). In: Anthropogene of the Southern Urals. Nauka (Moscow): 36–53. Yakchemovich, V. L., Nemkova, V. K., Sydnev, A. V., Suleimanova, F. I., Khabibullina, G. A., Sherbakova, T. I., Yakovlev, A. G., 1987. Pleistocene of the Fore-Urals (in Russian). Nauka (Moscow): 113 pp.

26 Upper Pliocene and Pleistocene of the Southern Urals region

THE LATE PLEISTOCENE PALAEOENVIRONMENT IN THE SOUTHERN (BASHKIRIAN) FORE-URALS

The Late Pleistocene can be divided into two warm and two cold phases (Nemkova, 1992). The first phase dated to the beginning of the Late Pleistocene is correlated to the Late Khazarian transgression. All the older terraces, in particular in the area near the Urals, have been eroded intensively during the Mikulino phase (Yakchemovich et al., 1987). Broad-leaf Birch-Pine forest covered large areas to the north of Ufa and herbaceous steppe dominated in more open regions (Yakchemovich et al., 1983). The percentage of broad-leaf species in the forest was lower than in the central part of the Russian Plain (Nemkova, 1992). The climate resembled the modern one; it was only slightly warmer. Periglacial brown loams which are forming the upper part of the III floodplain terrace, refer to the second phase, the period of the Late Khazarian regression that coincides with the Early Valdai Glaciation (Yakchemovich et al., 1987). Birch-coniferous forest occurred in the area north of Ufa during the first half of the Podporozhie phase. Ephedra appeared in open areas and the percentage of Chenopodiaceae increased (Yakchemovich et al., 1983). An assemblage with the dominance of pine and without deciduous tree is known from the region to the south of Ufa (Nemkova, Alimbekova, 1985). Periglacial, tundra plant-associations occurred on the Russian Plain at that time (Stratigraphy.., 1984). The Early Khvalynian transgression (Leningrad Interstadial) marks the second erosional phase when the lower part of II river plain terraces were formed (Yakchemovich et al., 1987). Pine dominated forest with a low percentage of Betula and broad-leaf trees occurred in the area to the northwest of Ufa; open areas were covered by a herbaceous steppe vegetation (Yakchemovich et al., 1983). The composition of the flora at that time was almost indistinguishable modern one; however, the climate was more humid (Kolesnikova, 1957). At the end of the interstadial the forest vegetation was replaced by a cold, periglacial steppe vegetation. In the Russian Plain plant associations changed from a birch forest to a periglacial tundra at that time (Stratigraphy.., 1984). The Late Valdai (Ostashkovo) Glaciation marks a considerable increase of periglacial conditions. Alluvial and lacustrine brown loams and clays covered the slopes of the interfluves and formed the upper part of the II terraces (Yakchemovich et al., 1987). The vegetative cover at the same latitude as Ufa consisted of grassland-steppe associations with herbage, Artemisia and Chenopodiaceae which covered most of the territory and fir-birch forest with a low percentage of deciduous trees occurred in the valleys. The climate became colder and more humid during the second half of that time: broad-leaf trees disappeared and the percentage of Betula decreased (Yakchemovich et al., 1983, 1987). Periglacial forest-tundra conditions and arctic deserts occurred, at that time in the central part of the Russian Plain (Stratigraphy.., 1984). During the Late Pleistocene the climate of the territory of the South Fore-Ural differed from that of the Russian Plain because of the greater distance to the inland ice-sheets and its altitudinal higher position. The climate in the South Fore-Urals was colder and dryer during the interglacials and colder and more humid the glacial phases. Only the Leningrad Interstadial optimum is know in the South Fore-Ural; the data are, therefore insufficient to make a reliable comparison to the palaeoclimatic conditions at Russian Plain during the Leningrad Interstadial.

and its significance for correlation of the eastern and western parts of Europe 27

THE GORNOVA SECTIONS

Location The Palaeolithic site is located on the left bank of the river Belaya near the village Gornova (Ufimian region, Bashkortostan Republic) (Fig. 1). The top of the terrace is approximately at 94,3 m above sea level and its base is at +78,9 m. The thickness of terrace deposits is 15,4 m (Yakchemovich et al., 1987).

History A.P. Shokurov carried out archaeological investigations in the valley of the Belaya river in 1959 and discovered a Palaeolithic site near the small village Gornova. He found below 13 metres of “reddish” loams a horizon of bluish-grey loams with remains of large mammals. The bone layer was exposed along the river over a length of about 100 m. The layer is 1–1,4 m thick. A.P. Shokurov also found two stone implements. In 1959 the locality was investigated by O.N. Bader and V.L. Yakchemovich (Shokurov, Bader, I960). V.L. Yakchemovich described the section for the first time. In 1983 the Leningrad Branch of the Institute of Archaeology together with the Bashkirian Branch of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR re-started the investigations of the Gornova sections; T.I. Sherbakova was the Leader of the team of archaeologists. In 1983–1985 V.L. Yakchemovich, G.A. Danukalova and A.G. Yakovlev described in detail the deposits of the II terrace and collected samples. The large mammal remains have been identified by B.S. Kozhamkulova (Alma-Ata), E.A. Vangengeim (Moscow); the small mammals by A.G. Yakovlev (Ufa), the molluscs by G.A. Danukalova (Ufa); the insects by E.V. Zinovjev (Ekaterinburg); the ostracods by M.G. Popova-Lvova (Ufa), pollen and spores by V.K. Nemkova, L.I. Alimbekova (Ufa) and carpological remains – by P.I. Dorofeev (St. Petersburg). Radiocarbon dates were obtained by the Institute of Geology (Ufa) and the Institute of Geochronology of St. Petersburg University. Palaeomagnetical investigations were carries out by F.I. Suleimanova (Ufa).

Description of the sections

Section I The upper part of the terrace consists of brown loams and sandy loams of periglacial origin (Fig. 2 a, b, c). The following layers occur starting from the edge of the terrace. Quaternary

Holocene – Q4

(subaerial deposits – pd) Thickness, m 1. Soil (chernozem) fine blocky, perforated by plant roots and burrows (diameter is 5–6 cm) filled by brown loam…………………………………………………………………………………………….0,8

28 Upper Pliocene and Pleistocene of the Southern Urals region

Pleistocene

Upper Neopleistocene – Q3 4 Ostashkovo Horizon – Q3 os (periglacial deposits – l, ld(pgl)) l, ld(pgl) 2. Light brown dense loam with humus in the upper part, with burrows (diameter is 4–5 cm), which are filled with loam and humic deposits. Approximately 0,5 m from the top of the layer a loess horizon with lime nodules (diameter is 1–2 cm and an irregular form) occur. Succinea oblonga Drap. (4), Vallonia sp. (2), Zenobiella rubiginosa A. Schm. (1), Clessiniola julaevi G.Ppv. (7) Dreissena polymorpha (Pall.) (10) have been collected from the gravel lens………………………………………………….0,6 ld(pgl) 3. Brown loess-like unconsolidated loam with columnar jointing, with iron-staining and little precipitation of manganese, with interbeds of bluish-grey clay (thickness 0,2–0,4 cm)……………...3,4 ld (pgl) 4. Light brown massive loam with numerous interbeds of bluish-grey clay (thickness 0,3–0,4 cm). The loam becomes denser and damper in the lower part of the layer…………………………………...8 ld (pgl) 5. Brown dense loam with interbeds of bluish-grey clay (thickness 0,3–0,5 cm). The number and thickness of these interbeds increase in the lower part of the layer. Pebbles and yellow sandy interbeds are also present in the lower part of the layer. Shells of Succinea oblonga Drap. (83), Pupilla muscorum L. (7), Vallonia costata Müll. (30), Dreissena polymorpha (Pall.) (12), Paraspira spirorbis L. (1) and Clessiniola julaevi G. Ppv. (6) have been collected from the lower part of the layer…………………3,1 l (pgl) 6. Bluish-brown clay with iron-staining. The lower boundary of the layer is erosional. Shells of Succinea oblonga Drap. (9), Vallonia costata Müll. (1), Dreissena polymorpha (Pall.) (1) are rare; they come from the lower part of the layer…………………………………………………………………0,3 Erosional base / Sedimentary break. 3 Leningrad Horizon – Q3 (alluvial deposits, floodplain facies – a (pr)) 7. Dark grey clay with organic remains and numerous mollusc shells: Succinea oblonga Drap. (>100), S. pfeifferi Rossm. (>100), Vallonia costata Müll. (>100), Pupilla muscorum L. (>50), Zenobiella rubiginosa A. Schm. (2), Stagnicola palustris Müll. (5), Limnaea sp. (1), Planorbis planorbis L. (2), Paraspira spirorbis L. (>50), Gyraulus laevis Alder (>50), Bathyomphalus contortus L. (1) and Pisidium amnicum Müll. (1)……………………………………………………………………………………..0,6

Section II The lower part of the periglacial strata discovered 20 m downstream of the river Belaya during the archaeological excavation. The following layers are covered by brown loams in the lower part of the terrace sequence. (Fig. 3 a, b, c; 4 a, b). Pleistocene

Upper Neopleistocene – Q3 4 Ostashkovo Horizon – Q3 os (lacustrine, alluvial periglacial deposits – l, al (pgl)) Thickness, m l, al (pgl) 1. Brown dense loam with a lens of gravels and sand and with interbeds of bluish-grey clay. Shells of Succinea oblonga Drap. (4), Vallonia sp. (2), Zenobiella rubiginosa A. Schm. (1), Clessiniola julaevi G. Ppv. (7), Dreissena polymorpha (Pall.) (10) have been collected from the gravel lens. The observed thickness is…………………………………………………………………………………………...0,85 Erosional base/Sedimentary break.

and its significance for correlation of the eastern and western parts of Europe 29

3 Leningrad Horizon – Q3 (lacustrine deposits – l) 2. Bluish-grey thin-bedded silty loam with stumps and roots of Picea sp. The lower boundary of the layer is erosive. The wood is 21280±550 (LE–145), 22660±125 (BashGI–35), 28800±124 (BashGI–36), 29700±1250 (Н 1856/1287), 26950±560 (LU–3711), 26990±150 (LU–3712) years old……………0,65 Greyish-brown clayey silt occur in erosional pockets between layers 2 and 3 (Section II a). Eight stone Upper Palaeolithic implements and bone remains of large and the small mammals: Ochotona sp. (4), Spermophilus sp. (1), Clethrionomys rufocanus Sundervall (1), Clethrionomys sp. (4), Lagurus lagurus Pall. (5), Lagurus sp. (25), Microtus (Stenocranius) gregalis Pall. (3), Microtus (Microtus) oeconomus Pall. (4), Microtus sp. (22) were collected from these sediments. 3. Dark bluish-grey lacustrine silty loam with molluscs shells, mammals remains and rare small indications of the precipitation of iron and with vivianite grains (diameter 1–3 mm). A bone of Bison sp. is ≥ 33670 years old (LU – 3712)…………………………………………………………………………………2,0 The small mammal assemblage (from the upper part of the loam) is composed of: Sorex sp. (4), Spermophilus sp. (2), Allocricetulus eversmanni Brandt (2), Clethrionomys rufocanus Sundervall (1), Lagurus lagurus Pall. (3), Lagurus sp. (11), Eolagurus luteus Eversmann (1), Microtus (Stenocranius) gregalis Pall. (4), Microtus (Microtus) oeconomus Pall. (13) and Microtus sp. (63). Large mammals: Bison priscus gigas (V. Grom.) Florov, B. priscus Boj., Bison sp., Alces cf. alces L. and E. caballus fossilis (identified by B.S.Kozhamkulova). Molluscs: Succinea pfeifferi Rossm. (>150), S. oblonga Drap. (>150), Vallonia costata Müll. (>70), Vallonia pulchella Müll. (10), Pupilla muscorum L. (36), Euomphalia strigella Drap. (1), Zenobiella rubiginosa A. Schm. (3), Limnaea sp. (1), Stagnicola palustris Müll. (>128), Paraspira spirorbis L. (183), Planorbis planorbis L. (4), Gyraulus laevis Alder (>200), Bathyomphalus contortus Linné (1), Valvata piscinalis antiqua Sow. (2), Sphaerium rivicola Lam. (1), Pisidium amnicum Müll. (1) and Dreissena polymorpha (Pall.) (1).

Middle Neopleistocene – Q2 2 Kaluga Horizon – Q2 (alluvial, lacustrine periglacial deposits – a, l gl) a gl 4. Alternation of light brown loams with thin interbeds (thickness is 1–3 cm) of reddish-brown and bluish-brown clays and light greyish-brown fine grained thin, cross and horizontally bedded sands. The thickness of the interbeds from the top to the base of the layer is: sand (15–20 cm), loam (30–40 cm), sand (20–25 cm), loam (20–25 cm). The upper boundary of the sandy interbeds is undulated………1,0 l gl 5. Brown dark grey silty clay with pebbles and sandy interbeds and traces of frost penetration….2,2

1 Likhvin Horizon – Q2 (alluvial deposits – a) 6. Brownish-grey fine sand with pebbles, plant remains and rare molluscs. Two interbeds of bluish-grey clay (thickness is 2–4 and 5 cm) are located in the upper and the middle parts of the layer………….2,5 Botanical remains: Picea sp., Eleocharis palustris (L.) R. Br. (2), Carex sp. (1), Rorippa sp. (2), Potentilla ex gr. nivea L. (4).

30 Upper Pliocene and Pleistocene of the Southern Urals region

Molluscs: Succinea oblonga Drap. (1), Gyraulus laevis Alder (1), Pisidium amnicum Müll. (2), Dreissena polymorpha (Pall.) (1). E.A. Vangengeim (1959) described a molar Mammuthus chosaricus Dub. collected from the Middle Neopleistocene deposits at the base of the terrace. B.S. Kozhamkulova described bones from the beach of the river and reffered these bones to: Bison priscus Boj., Bison sp., Bos primigenius Boj., Bos taurus L., Ovis cf. ammon L., Alces cf. alces L., Megaloceras giganteus (Blum.), Cervus elephus L., Equus cf. hemionus Pall., E. caballus fossilis, Equus sp., Camelus sp., Mammuthus sp. and Coelodonta antiquitatis Blum.

Section III

Section 3 is located upstream of the river Belaya 700 m from the section I. The following layers are covered by brown loams in the upper part of the terrace sequence.

Upper Neopleistocene – Q3 4 Ostashkovo Horizon – Q3 os (lacustrine, slope periglacial deposits – ld (pgl)) Thickness, m 1. Greyish-brown dense loam with traces of manganization and frost penetration. Observed thickness is 0,8 2. Brown loam with interbeds of fine sand (thickness is 2–5 cm) and iron-staining at the lower part of the layer. The thickness of the iron-staining crust is 2 cm. The lower boundary is undulated………..0,8 Erosional base/Sedimentary break.

Middle Neoleistocene – Q2 2 Kaluga Horizon – Q2 (lacustrine periglacial deposits – l gl) 3. Alternation of brownish-grey clays and grey fine sands with pebbles and molluscs. The thickness of sandy interbeds is 3–7 cm. The lower boundary is with iron-staining………………………………...1,4

1 Likhvin Horizon – Q2 (lacustrine, alluvial deposits – l, a) 4. Alternation of greyish-blue clays and fine grey sands with pebbles and mollusc detritus. The thickness of the interbeds is: clay (15 cm), iron-stained sands (25 cm), clay (15 cm), iron-stained, sands (25 cm), dense clay with botanical remains (90 cm)……………………………………………………………1,5 Molluscs: Succinea oblonga Drap. (11), Vallonia costata Müll. (2), Pupilla muscorum L. (1), Stagnicola palustris Müll. (3), Paraspira spirorbis L. (8), Planorbis planorbis L. (4), Gyraulus laevis Alder (8), Valvata pulchella Müll. (4), Viviparus sp. (9), Lithoglyphus sp. (3), Sphaerium rivicola Lam. (16), S. corneum L. (1), Pisidium amnicum Müll. (9), P. supinum A. Schm. (9) and Dreissena polymorpha (Pall.) (1). and its significance for correlation of the eastern and western parts of Europe 31

5. Series of cross-bedded sands and gravels (fluvial facies) with iron-staining. Exposed thickness is…..1,65 Molluscs: Succinea oblonga Drap. (2), Vallonia costata Müll. (1), Zenobiella rubiginisa A. Schm. (1), Stagnicola sp. (1), Bithynia sp. (1), Paraspira spirorbis L. (6), Planorbis planorbis L. (3), Gyraulus laevis Alder (7), Sphaerium rivicola Lam. (2) and S. corneum L. (1). Base of the section.

Vegetation

Palynological studies indicate that a divers herbaceous steppe vegetation dominate during the Likhvin Inetrgalcial. Coniferous-broad-leaf forests are rare; the occurred in moist areas. The amount of forest increased towards the end of the Likhvin Interglacial. The upper part of the Likhvin deposits (near the contact with the Kaluga lacustrine-glacial deposits) yielded carpological remains (Tabl. 3). The flora is similar to the Eastern European glacial floras; a small quantity of glacial forms existed. The flora from the Gornova sections is of pre-Saalian, Syngil or Khazar age. The cold steppes associations from the beginning of the Kaluga time span changed gradually to associations with an increased role of the Picea taiga forest. The Taiga forests biocoenosis predominated during the Leningrad Interstadial. In the Ostashkovo time a herbage-Artemisia-Chenopodiaceae grassland-steppe association covered most part of the territory during the Ostashkovo period. A Picea forest with Betula and a small quantity of broad-leaved trees grew in moist depressions. The climate at the end of the the period became colder and hence, the broad-leaved forms disappeared and the percentage of Betula decreased (Fig. 5–8).

Molluscs

The alluvial deposits of sections 2 and 3 yielded the warm interglacial Likhvin mollusc complex (116 shells which belong to 17 species of 15 genera) with: Succinea oblonga Drap. (14), Vallonia costata Müll. (3), Pupilla muscorum L. (1), Zenobiella rubiginosa A. Schm. (1), Stagnicola palustris Müll. (3), Stagnicola sp. (1), Planorbis planorbis L. (7), Paraspira spirorbis L. (11), Gyraulus laevis Alder (16), Viviparus sp. (9), Valvata pulchella Müll. (4), Bithynia sp. (1), Lithoglyphus sp. (3), Sphaerium rivicola Lam. (18), S. corneus L. (2), Pisidium amnicum Müll. (11), P. supinum A. Schm. (9) and Dreissena polymorpha Pall.) (2). The molluscs of this complex are fluvial, lacustrine or terrestrial; they have a wide stratigraphical range. The Leningrad mollusc complex is composed of lacustrine and terrestrial species (more than 1405 shells that belong to 17 species of 15 genera): Succinea oblonga Drap. (>250), S. pfeifferi Rossm. (>250), Vallonia costata Müll. (>169), V. pulchella Müll. (10), Pupilla muscorum L. (>86), ), Zenobiella rubiginosa A. Schm. (5), Euomphalia strigella Drap. (1), Limnaea sp. (2), Stagnicola palustris Müll. (>128), Planorbis planorbis L. (6), Paraspira spirorbis L. (>233), Gyraulus laevis Alder (>250), Bathyomphalus contortus L. (2), Valvata piscinalis (Müll.) antiqua Sow. (2), Sphaerium rivicola Lam. (1), Pisidium amnicum Müll. (2) and Dreissena polymorpha Pall.) (1). The Ostashkovo mollusc complex (178 shells belong to 7 species of 7 genera): Succinea oblonga Drap. (96), Vallonia costata Müll. (35), Vallonia sp. (2), Pupilla muscorum L. (7), Zenobiella rubiginosa A.Schm. (1), Paraspira spirorbis L. (1), Clessiniola julaevi G. Ppv. (13), Dreissena polymorpha Pall.) (23). Shells of Clessiniola julaevi G. Ppv. are re-deposited from Pliocene sediments (Tabl. 4).

32 Upper Pliocene and Pleistocene of the Southern Urals region

) V.K. Nemkova and L.I. Alimbekova and L.I. V.K. Nemkova , A.G. Yakovlev , G.A. Danukalova y b ( ram ram g ollen dia ollen p The Gornova section I and the I section Gornova The . 5. g Fi

and its significance for correlation of the eastern and western parts of Europe 33

To Fig. 5. Legend: 1 – Trees and shrubs; 2 – Herbs; 3 – Sporophytes; Acer – Acer sp.; A.f.-f. – Athyrium filix- femina (L.) Roth.; Al. – Alisma sp.; Alnus – Alnus sp.; Abies – Abies sp.; B.l. – Botrychium lunaria (L.) Sw.; Bet.v. – Betula verrucosa Ehrh.; Car. – Caryophyllaceae; Carp. – Carpinus sp.; Ch.al. – Chenopodium album L.; Ch.r. – Chenopodium rubrum; Cr. – Cruciferae; Con. – Convolvulus sp.; Cor. – Corylus L.; Cal.sep. – Calestegia sepium R. Br.; C.c. – Centaurea cyanus L.; C.r. – Centaurea ruciferae, Dipsac., Dip. – Dipsacaceae; Dryop. – Dryopteris filix-mas (L.) Schott.; E.c. – Eurotia ceratoides (L.) C.A.M.; Ech.r. – Echinops ritro L.; Eph. – Ephedra sp.; Eph. dist., Eph.d. – Ephedra distachya L.; Eq. – Equisetum sp.; Eup. – Euphorbiaceae; Fraxinus, Frax. – Fraxinus sp.; H. – Hydrochoris; K.l. – Kochia laniflora Gmel. Borb.; K.s. – Kochia scoparia (L.) Schrad.; Kn. – Knautia sp.; Lab. – Labiatae; Larix – Larix sp.; L. – Lycopodium sp.; L.an. – Lycopodium annotinum L.; L.c. – Lycopodium clavatum L.; L.ap. – Lycopodium appressum; L.p. – Lycopodium pungens La Pyl.; Leg. Legum. – Leguminosae; Lon. – Lonicera L.; Lon. t. – Lonicera tatarica L.; Myrioph., M. – Myriophyllum sp.; N. – Nuphar sp.; N.p. – Nuphar pumila (Timm) DC.; Nymph. – Nymphaea; Onag. – Onagraceae; Oph., O. – Ophioglossaceae; Osmunda, Os. – Osmunda sp.; Os.c. – Osmunda cinnamomea L.; O.v. – Ophioglossum vulgatum L.; Pot. – Potamogeton sp.; Picea – Picea sp.; Picea ex. – Picea excelsa Link.; Picea ob. – Picea obovata Ldb.; P.s.O., P.sect Omorica – Picea sect. Omorica; Pl. – Plumbaginaceae; P. virg. – Polypodium virginianum L.; P.v. – Polypodium vulgar L.; Pol.bis. – Polygonum bistorta L.; Pol.am. – Polygonum amphybium L.; Q., Quercus – Quercus sp.; Q.robur, Q. r. – Quercus robur L.; R.sc. – Ranunculus scelaratoides L.; Ros. – Rosaceae; Rub. – Rubiaceae; Sal. R. – Salsola ruthenica Iljin; Sal. l. – Salsola lanata; Salic h. – Salicornia herbaceae; Salix – Salix sp.; Sph. – Sphagnum sp.; S. – Selaginella sp.; S.s. – Selaginella selaginoides (L.); S.sib. – Selaginella sibirica (Millde) Heiron; Sp. – Sparganium sp.; St. – Stratiotes sp.; Tilia – Tilia sp.; Tsuga – Tsuga sp.; Tsuga div. – Tsuga diversifolia (Max.) Mast.; Typha , T. – Typha sp.; T.l. – Typha latifolia L.; Ulmus – Ulmus sp.; Val. – Valeriana sp.; Vibur. – Viburnum sp.; Weigela – Weigela sp.; W. – Woodsia sp.; W.fr. – Woodsia fragilis (Trev.) Moore. Lithology: 1 – loam; 2 – clay; 3 – sandy loam; 4 – gravel; 5 – sand; 6 – sandlens; 7 – soil; 8 – ancient soil; 9 – fragments of limestone; 10 – plant remains; 11 – Erosional base/Sedimentary break; 12 – beds boundaries; 13 – erosion; 14 – molluscs; 15 – mammals remains; 16 – calcification; 17 – iron-staining.

Ostracods

The following Pleistocene ostracod-complexes from the Gornova sections have been investigated (Tabl. 5): The Likhvin complex (Sections II, III); numerous is: Ilyocypris; rare are: Cyclocypris, Cypria, Candona neglecta Sars С. rawsoni Tres., С. rostrata Br. et Norm., С. candida (O. Müll.), С. weltneri Hartw., Eucypris horridus Sars, Sclerocypris (?) clauata (Baird), Cytherissa lacustris Sars, Denticulocythere dorsotuberculata (Neg.), D. caspiensis (Neg.), Limnocythere postconcava Neg, L. manjtschensis (Neg.) ets. Limnocythere postconcava, L. manjtschensis, Denticulocythere dorsotuberculata, D. caspiensis are characteristic for Middle Pleistocene deposits in the Eastern Europe and Western Siberia (Negadaev- Nikonov, 1974). Numerous cold-resisting Candona candida, С. neglecta, С. rawsoni, Eucypris horridus and Ilyocypris bradyi occurred during the end of Likhvin Interglacial. The Kaluga complex is characterized by cold-resisting ostracods (Sections II, III): Ilyocypris, Cyclocypris, Cypria, Ilyocypris inermis Kauf., Cyclocypris serena (Kosh), С. triangula Neg., Candona fabaeformis (Fisch), Eucypris pigra (Fisch.), Limnocythere falcata Dieb. Candona candida (О. Müll.), С. neglecta Sars and С. rawsoni Tres. are numerous. Denticulocythere dorsotuberculata (Neg.), D. caspiensis (Neg.), Limnocythere postconcava (Neg.), L. manjtschensis Neg. and others make the transition forms from the Likhvin Interglacial. The Ostashkovo complex (Sections I, II, III) consists of numerous species: Ilyocypris bella Scharap., I. inermis Kauf., Candona neglecta Sars, С. rawsoni Tres., С. rectangulata Alm, Candona juv., Eucypris dulcifons Dieb. et Pietr., Denticulocythere dorsotuberculata (Neg.), Limnocythere postconcava Neg., L. manjtschensis Neg., L. falcata Dieb. and others. Limnocythere and Denticulocythere are relatively small due to the cold climatic conditions. Candona neglecta, С. rawsoni, С. rectangulata, Eucypris dulcifons, Ilyocypris inermis are cold-resisting ostracods.

34 Upper Pliocene and Pleistocene of the Southern Urals region

Table 3. The results of the carpological study of the remains from the Gornova sections Species Leningrad Horizon, Section II, layer 2 Likhvin Horizon Section III, layer 4 Chara sp. – numerous Larix sp. – numerous Picea sp. numerous numerous Sparganium simplex Huds. – numerous Potamogeton pectinatus L. – numerous P. filiformis Pers. – numerous P. perfoliatus L. – numerous P. vaginatus Turcz. – numerous P. luceus L. – numerous P. friesii Rupr. – numerous Stratiotis aloides L. – numerous Butomus umbellatus L. – numerous Eleocharis palustris (L.) R. Br. 2 nuts 1 nut Carex sp. 1 nut numerous Salix sp. – numerous Scirpus lacustris L. – numerous Chenopodium album L. – numerous C. rubrum L. – numerous C. hybridum L. – numerous Atriplex sp. – numerous A. hastata L. – numerous Corispermum sp. – numerous C. intermedium Schwug. – numerous Stellaria sp. – numerous Cerastium sp. – numerous Silene sp. – numerous Polygonum ex gr. aviculare L. – numerous P. ex sect. aviculare – numerous Rumex hydrolapathum L. – numerous R. acetojella L. – numerous Rorippa sp. 2 seeds numerous Urtica dioica L. – numerous Bunias cochlearioides Murr. – numerous Cruciferae gen. – numerous Crambe tatarica L. – numerous Ranunculus sceleratus L. – numerous R. cf. flammula L. – numerous R. ex gr. nemorosus Dl. – numerous Botrychium sp. – numerous Thalictrum minus L. – numerous Potentilla anserina L. – numerous Potentilla ex gr. nivea L. 4 fruits numerous P. supina L. – numerous Myriophyllum spicatum L. – numerous М. verticillatum L. – numerous Hippuris vulgaris L. – numerous Stachys cf. recta L. – numerous Linaria vulgaris L. – numerous Valeriana officinalis L. – numerous Viburnum opulus L. – numerous and its significance for correlation of the eastern and western parts of Europe 35

bekova).

The section Gornova II and the pollen diagram (by V.L. Yakchemovich, G.A. Danukalova, A.G. Yakovlev, V.K. Nemkova and L.I. Alim and L.I. V.K. Nemkova A.G. Yakovlev, G.A. Danukalova, V.L. Yakchemovich, (by diagram and the pollen II Gornova section The Fig. 6. Legend see Fig. 5 see Fig. Legend

36 Upper Pliocene and Pleistocene of the Southern Urals region

The section Gornova IIa and the pollen diagram (by A.G. Yakovlev, V.K. Nemkova and L.I. Alimbekova). Legend see Fig. 5 Fig. see Legend Alimbekova). and L.I. Nemkova V.K. A.G. Yakovlev, (by diagram and the pollen IIa Gornova section The Fig. 7.

and its significance for correlation of the eastern and western parts of Europe 37

ee Fig. 5 Fig. ee The section Gornova III and the pollen diagram (by G.A. Danukalova, A.G. Yakovlev, V.K. Nemkova and L.I. Alimbekova). Legend s Fig. 8.

38 Upper Pliocene and Pleistocene of the Southern Urals region

Table 4. The stratigraphical distribution of molluscs in the Gornova sections Quaternary Pleistocene Neopleistocene Species Middle link Upper link Likhvin Horizon Leningrad Horizon Ostashkovo Horizon Sections III II I II I II Layers 4 5 6 7 3 5 6 1 Succinea oblonga Drap. 11 2 1 >200 >50 83 9 4 S. pfeifferi Rossm. >200 >50 Vallonia costata Müll. 2 1 >150 19 30 5 V. pulchella Müll. 10 Vallonia sp. 2 Pupilla muscorum L. 1 >80 6 7 Zenobiella rubiginosa A.Schm. 1 5 1 Euomphalia strigella Drap. 1 Limnaea sp. 2 Stagnicola palustris Müll. 3 >100 28 Stagnicola sp. 1 Planorbis planorbis L. 4 3 2 4 Paraspira spirorbis L. 5 6 >50 >183 1 Gyraulus laevis Alder. 8 7 1 >50 >200 Bathyomphalus contortus L. 2 Viviparus sp. 9 Valvata pulchella Müll. 4 V. piscinalis (Müll.) antiqua Sow. 2 Bithynia sp. 1 Lithoglyphus sp. 3 Clessiniola julaevi G. Ppv. 6 7 Sphaerium rivicola L. 16 2 1 S. corneum L. 1 1 Pisidium amnicum Müll. 9 2 1 1 P. supinum A.Sch. 9 Dreissena polymorpha (Pall.) 1 1 1 12 1 10 Legend: 1–10 11–20 21–30 31–50 > 50 specimens specimens specimens specimens specimens

The species composition of the Ostashkovo and Kaluga complexes is similar. The only differ in the abundance of certain species (Yakchemovich et al., 1987).

Insects Remains of the genus Agonum have been collected from the bedded grey loams (section 2a, layer 2). Representatives of this genus (Agonum moestum) live near water reservoirs and characteristic for the forest-steppe and the forest zones. Single meso-xerophile species are : Agonum gracilipes Pz., A. sp. cf. viricupreum Gz.. The palaeo-environment during time of deposition resembles open biotopes similar to the modern steppes with herbaceous vegetation in areas near open water. Species of the genera Agonum, Patrobus and Bembidion have been collected from the bluish- grey clays (section 2, layer 3): Agonum ? livens, A. moestum, Agonum sp. (cf. versutum), Platynus mannerheimi, Patrobus septentrionis, P. assimilis, Bembidion (Ocydromys) sp. cf. lunatum, Notaris bimaculatus. All these species lived near water reservoirs. Forest dwellers are also present in these deposits: Hylobius sp. (lives in coniferous forests) and Pterostichus uralensis (lives in the southern parts of the forest zone). The palaeoenvironment was similar to the modern conditions in the area. and its significance for correlation of the eastern and western parts of Europe 39

Table 5. The stratigraphical distribution of the ostracods in Gornova sections

Quaternary Pleistocene Species Neopleistocene Middle link Upper link Horizons Likhvin Kaluga Leningrad Ostashkovo Sections II III II III II a II I II III Caspiocypris sp. 1 Ilyocypris bradyi Sars 55 91 117 8 1 3 13 12 I. gibba (Ramd.) 1 I. decipiens Masi 2 3 I. cf. decipiens Masi 3 1 2 2 I. bella Scharap. 107 I. biplicata (Koch) 1 3 1 10 I. inerris Kauf. 8 11 4 I. aff. getica Kauf. 2 2 2 1 1 I. lichvinensis M. Popova 2 10 2 Cyclocypris laevis (O. Müll.) 7 7 13 1 C. ovum (Jurine) 1 1 3 1 C. serena (Koch) 6 4 C. triangula Neg. 2 Cypria curvifurcata Klie 1 10 4 1 1 23 6 C. tambovensis Mandel. 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 C. longa Neg. 1 C. aff. ophtalmica (Jurine) 2 Candona candina (O. Müll.) 1 1 12 C. rawsoni Tres. 1 5 2 C. neglecta Sars 8 12 7 3 22 11 C. rostrata Br. et Norm. 1 3 2 C. hartwigi G. Müll. 2 C. rectangulata Alm. 6 C. weltneri Hartw. 1 C. fabaeformis (Fisch.) C. balatonica Daday 2 Candona juv. 61 276 146 15 16 112 4 204 Eucypris dulcifons Dieb. et Pietr. 3 E. horridus Sars 1 E. pigra (Fisch.) 21 Sclerocypris ? clavata (Baird) 2 Cyprinotus? sp. 1 Potamocypris sp. 2 7 13 2 1 2 Denticulocythere dorsotuberculata (Neg.) 20 25 12 2 3 14 D. caspiensis (Neg.) 3 3 3 Limnocythere postconcava (Neg.) 13 12 23 2 L. manjtschensis Neg. 3 2 1 L. falcata Dieb. 1 2 L. sanctipatricii Br. et Rob. 1 5 L. aff. habarovensis M. Popova 2 Limnocythere sp. 5 Cytherissa lacustris Sars 1 7 1 1 2 12 1 Cyprideis torosa (Jones) 19 11 5 4 1 1 4 2 Paracyprideis naphtatscholana (Liv.) 2 1 24 109 15

Legend: 1–5 6–15 16–30 > 30

specimens specimens specimens specimens

40 Upper Pliocene and Pleistocene of the Southern Urals region

Large mammals

The Mammuthus chosaricus molar indicated the age of the lower bone bed. Bones were found on the surface of the Likhvin alluvium. The fauna from the upper bone bed, collected in 1975, dates to the early stage of the Late Palaeolithic complex. It contained ancient elements: numerous remains of Bison priscus gigas and Camelus sp. The large mammal fauna collected during archaeological excavations in 1983 was poor; only 2 species, dating to the Late Palaeolithic complex, could be identified (Tabl. 6).

Table 6. The stratigraphical distribution of the large mammals and large mammal remains in the Gornova sections

Quaternary Pleistocene Species Neopleistocene Middle link Upper link Horizons Likhvin Leningrad Section II (beach) II, II a (1975) II, II a (1983) Mammuthus chosaricus Dubrovo + Camelus sp. 1 Megaloceras giganteus cf. giganteus (Blum.). 2 Alces alces L. 1 Bos primigenius Boj. 21 Bison priscus gigas Flor. + 40 Bison priscus Boj. 2 Bison priscus mediator Hilzheimer 31 Bison sp. + 75 15 Ovis cf. ammon L. 1 Equus cf. hemionus Pall. 1 Equus caballus fossilis + 11 5 Indeterminable fragments 77 Vertebra 1 Cranium fragments 3 Ulna fragment 1 Extremity fragments 22 Jaw fragment 1 Rib fragments 4 Scapula fragments 2

Small mammals

During the Late Pleistocene glacial phases predominantly “lemming” and “mixed” small mammal faunas occurred in the area of the Eastern European Plain. The Gornova fauna is a specific Southern Fore-Urals forest-steppe fauna that indicates cold climatic conditions; the species composition of the fauna is unique without a modern equivalent. The Late Pleistocene steppe faunas of the Trans-Urals and Western Siberia closely resemble the Gornova fauna (Zazhigin, 1980; Maleeva, 1982) (Tabl. 7). and its significance for correlation of the eastern and western parts of Europe 41

Table 7. The stratigraphical distribution of the small mammals in the Gornova sections

Quaternary Pleistocene Species Neopleistocene Middle link Upper link Horizons Likhvin Leningrad Sections III II, II a II II a Sorex sp. 4 Ochotona sp. 13 4 Spermophilus sp. 1 2 1 Ellobius sp. 2 Allocricetulus eversmanni 1 2 Clethrionomys rufocanus 2 1 1 Clethrionomys sp. 1 16 4 Lagurus lagurus 54 3 5 Lagurus sp. 1 100 11 25 Eolagurus luteus 1 1 Eolagurus sp. 1 1 Arvicola terrestris 7 Microtus gregalis 28 4 3 M. oeconomus 1 47 13 4 Microtus sp. 4 141 63 22

Archaeological investigations

Archaeological artefacts came from bluish-grey loams (section II, layer 3) and bedded clayey silts (section II a, layer 2) (Fig. 9). Flint cores and flakes were found in sediments between these layers. Two stone artefacts (a flint flake and a fragment of jasper) are from the bedded clayey silt; bone with marks were found in the upper part of the bluish- grey loams. Most of the bones are cracked badly preserved. The thickness of the bed with the bones is nearly 1 m (section 2, layer 3). Eight artefacts are known from the locality: three were discovered on the surface of the terrace slope, 5 were found in the deposits of the bone bed. The artefacts are well preserved and are not rounded. They are made of the light-grey flint with brown disseminations, dark-grey flint or dark greyish-green jasper. Bones and artefacts are from the same complex. The artefacts are characteristic for localities that date to the beginning of the Late Palaeolithic, a period that correlates to the last optimum of the Middle Valdai (32–24 Ma) (Velichko, Ivanova, 1969; Rogachev, Anikovich, 1984).

42 Upper Pliocene and Pleistocene of the Southern Urals region

Fig. 9. Flint artefacts from the Gornova sections 1 – dark-grey flint core; 2 – fragment of bone with marks; 3 – jasper fragment; 4 – secondary light-grey flint core; 5 – fragment of the light-grey flint; 6 – scraper on the distal end of the large light-grey flint flake; 7 – fragment of dark-grey flint flake: 8 – middle light-grey flint knife; 9 – spine on the jasper flake. and its significance for correlation of the eastern and western parts of Europe 43

Palaeomagnetic investigations

Section I (Suleimanova, 1987, 1992; Gleizer, 1983) (Fig. 10).

The Palaeomagnetic samples were taken from the Holocene soil and the Ostashkovo (Kudashevo) loams. The thickness of studied deposits was 16 m. The distance between the samples was 15–20 cm. The quantity of the investigated stratigraphical levels was 63 (F.I.Suleimanova) and 51 (I.V.Gleizer). The Normal remnant magnetization In in the section changed in the interval (5–40)·10-6 Gs; in the soil it was higher than in the Ostashkovo deposits. The sediments were sufficient susceptible.The susceptablility component in the soil formed up to 80% In, in the Ostashkovo deposits – up to 50% In. The samples were examined temporally (F.I.Suleimanova) or temporally and by heating up to 200°С (I.V.Gleizer). The entire section show a normal polarity and is correlted to the Brunhes Epoch. I. V. Gleizer marked an interval (8 stratigraphical levels) of reverse polarity in the periglacial deposits of the terrace; the interval might be the Geteborg Event of the Brunhes Epoch.

Section II (Suleimanova, 1987, 1992) (Fig. 11).

Pleistocene deposits from Likhvin to Ostashkovo Horizon present in the section. The total thickness of the studied deposits is 10 m. Sampling was detailed, the distance between the samples 15–20 cm. 60 stratigraphical levels were investigated. Value of In changed in the wide interval (2–40)·10-6 Gs, because of changes in the lithological composition in the sequence. The sections show a normal polarity and is correlated with the Brunhes Epoch.

Section III. Information from F. I. Suleimanova (Yakchemovich et al., 1987; Suleimanova, 1992) (Fig. 12).

The total thickness of deposits was nearly 5,5 m. Likhvin, Kaluga and Ostashkovo deposits were investigated. The sampling was detailed; 33 stratigraphical levels were investigated. The Normal remnant magnetization In in the section was uniform and changed in the interval (3–10)·10-6 Gs. The palaeomagnetic section is correlated to the Brunhes Epoch. F.I.Suleimanova gave part of the palaeomagnetic section with the magnetic anomalies of declination (D°) and inclination (I°) the name “Tukach”. The age of Likhvin deposits is 0,3–0,4 Ma and the “Tukach” magnetic anomaly might be the equivalent of the Biva III Event.

Problems

In the eighties it was assumed that the lacustrine deposits (section II, layer 3) with the bones and the archaeological finds are Middle Neopleistocene in age. This assumption was based on the conclusions drawn by B.S.Kozhamkulova (Yakchemovich et al., 1987). She thought that the large mammal fauna of the bone bed (section II, layer 3) belong to the early stage of the Late Palaeolithic complex with Khazar elements: Bison priscus gigas and Camelus sp. O.N.Bader assumed that archaeological level dates to the early stage of the Late Palaeolithic (Aurignacian) (Shokurov, Bader, 1960). T.I. Sherbakova assumed a late Mousterian age for the finds locality (32–24 Ka) (Sherbakova, 1984; 1987; Velichko, Ivanova, 1969; Rogachev, Anikovich, 1984). Т.T. Sherbakova (1984; 1986) discussed the discrepancy between geological and archaeological data of the bone bed. Archaeological artefacts and bone bed are from the same complex; a complex that is situated under the soil horizon with dates from 21 to 29 Ka.

44 Upper Pliocene and Pleistocene of the Southern Urals region

Fig. 10. Gornova, section I. Palaeomagnetic data (by F.I. Suleimanova, V.L. Yakchemovich, G.A. Danukalova and A.G. Yakovlev, 1987). 1 – reverse palaeomagnetic polarity; 2 – normal palaeomagnetic polarity; 3 – anomaly palaeomagnetic polarity.

In 1996 radiocarbon data were obtained from the layer with the strumbs (section II, layer 2). The age of the upper part of the layer is 26950±560 y. (LU–3711), of the lower part 26990±150 y. (LU–3712) of the teeth of Bison sp. have a radiocarbon date of ≥ 33670 (LU–4153, 1998). Thus, the layer with archaeological finds and bones dates to the middle part of the Leningrad period (Late Neopleistocene). and its significance for correlation of the eastern and western parts of Europe 45

Fig. 11. Gornova, section II. Palaeomagnetic data (by F.I. Suleimanova, V.L. Yakchemovich, G.A. Danukalova and A.G. Yakovlev, 1987). Legend see Fig. 10.

The greyish-brown bedded clayey silt (section II a, layer 2) was previously dated to the Kalinin stage (Yakchemovich et al., 1987). However, now it is clear that layers above (section II, layer 2) and below (section II, layer 3) are of Leningrad age. Thus the time of the deposition of the silt level is the same. The correlation between the Gornova sections I–III is shown on the Figure 13.

References Danukalova, G. A. & Yakovlev, A. G., 1988. Molluscs and small mammals of the Middle Pleistocene deposits of river Belaya terraces Bashkirian Fore-Urals (in Russian). In: Annual–1993. Information materials. IG UNC RAN (Ufa): 15–17.

46 Upper Pliocene and Pleistocene of the Southern Urals region

Fig. 12. Gornova, section III. Palaeomagnetic data (by F.I. Suleimanova, V.L. Yakchemovich, G.A. Danukalova and A.G. Yakovlev, 1987). Legend see Fig. 10.

Danukalova, G. A., Yakovlev, A. G. & Kotov, V. G., 2000. Age, biostratigraphy and archaeology of lacustrine deposits of second overflood river terraces of the Southern Fore-Urals (in Russian). Geological Collection 1: 69–72. Danukalova, G. A., Yakovlev, A. G. & Sataev, R. M., 1997. For the question about the age of of the deposits with bones in the Palaeolithic locality Gornova (the Bashkirian Fore-Urals (in Russian). In: Annual–1995. Information materials. IG UNC RAN (Ufa): 96–98. Khabibullina, G. A., 1986. Pleistocene mollusks of the Gornova section (Bashkirian Fore-Urals) (in Russian). In: History of ancient lakes. Abstract volume of the VII Symposium “History of lakes in pre-Quaternary time, in Holocene…” (Leningrad): 146–147. Popova-Lvova, M. G., 1988. Ostracods from type localities Chui-Atasevo and Gornova of the Bashkirian Fore- Urals (in Russian). In: Some questions of the biostratigraphy, palaeomagnetizm and tectonic of the Cenozoic of the Fore-Urals. BNC UO AS USSR (Ufa): 24–60. and its significance for correlation of the eastern and western parts of Europe 47

Fig. 13. The correlation between the Gornova sections I–III and a plan with the location of the sections

Rogachev, A. N. & Anikovich, M. V., 1984. Late palaeolith of the Russian Plain and Crimea (in Russian). In: Archaeology of the USSR. Palaeolith of the USSR. Volume 1. Nauka (Moscow): 162–271. Sherbakova, T. I., 1984. About modern status of Palaeolith study in Southern Fore-Urals (in Russian). In: Sources and study of history and culture of Bashkiria. (Ufa): 9–11.

48 Upper Pliocene and Pleistocene of the Southern Urals region

Sherbakova, T. I., 1986. The Palaeolith of the Southern and Middle Urals (for questions about characters and connections of Uralian Palaeolith) (in Russian) (Leningrad): 25 pp. Shokurov, A. P. & Bader, O. N., 1960. Palaeolithic locality on the Balaya river (in Russian). In: Questions of geology of the Eastern part of the Russian Plain and Southern Urals. Issue 5. BF AS USSR (Ufa): 139–144. Suleimanova, F. I., 1992. Some aspects of the Pleistocene magnitostratigraphy of the Fore-Urals (in Russian). In: Fauna and Flora of The Cenozoic of the Fore-Urals and some aspects of the magnitostratigraphy. BNC UO RAN (Ufa): 114–119. Velichko, A. A. & Ivanova, I. K., 1969. Main conclusions about the geological age of the Palaeolith (in Russian). In: Nature and development of the premeval society on the territory of the European part of the USSR. Nauka (Moscow): 37–41. Yakchemovich, V. L, 1965. Anthropogene deposits of the Southern Fore-Urals (in Russian). In: Anthropogene of the Southern Urals. Nauka (Moscow): 36–53 (description of the section – pp. 40–44). Yakchemovich, V. L, 1981. Pleistocene stratigraphy of the Fore-Urals (in Russian). In: Pliocene and Pleistocene of the Volga-Urals region. Nauka (Moscow): 53–59. Yakchemovich, V. L, Nemkova, V. K., Sydnev, A. V., Suleimanova, F. I., Khabibullina, G. A., Sherbakova, T. I. & Yakovlev, A. G., 1987. Pleistocene of the Fore-Urals (in Russian). Nauka (Moscow): 113 pp. Yakovlev, A. G., 1988. For the history of the genus Arvicola’s development in the Pleistocene of the Bashkirian Fore-Urals (in Russian). In: Some questions of the biostratigraphy, palaeomagnetizm and tectonic of the Cenozoic of the Fore-Urals. BNC UO AS USSR (Ufa): 17–23. Yakovlev, A. G., 1985. Rodents of the Palaeolithic locality Gornova (the Bashkirian Fore-Urals) (in Russian). In: Study, protection and rational utilization of native resources. BF AS USSR (Ufa): 183–184. Yakovlev, A. G., 1996. Pleistocene and Holocene small mammals of the Bashkirian Fore-Urals and Western slope of the Southern Urals (in Russian) (Ekaterinburg): 16 pp.

and its significance for correlation of the eastern and western parts of Europe 49

THE SYMBUGINO SECTIONS

Location

The sections are located in the galley formed by the creek Batkan (a tributary of the river Karmasan, in the river Belaya Bassin) near the village Symbugino (Blagovar Region; Bashkortostan Republic) (Fig. 1).

History

In 1945 M.S. Fairuzov discovered the exposure of “post-Pliocene” brown loams and brownish-grey sands with gravel and pebbles. The thickness of the observed deposits was 5 m. In 1968–1969, during the geological mapping A.V. Sydnev described a section with Aktschagylian and Apsheronian deposits. He collected molluscs and identified two new species Crassiana praecrassoides and Potomida baschkirica (Sydnev, 1975). A.V. Sydnev also discovered alluvial deposits that are rich in organic remains. In 1970–75 A.V. Sydnev, V.L. Yakchemovich, I.N. Semenov, P.I. Dorofeev, V.P. Sukhov, A.L. Chepalyga investigated this section and described deposits in detail. Samples for carpological, palynological, microfaunistical, petrographical-mineralogical, palaeomagnetological and engineer-geological investigations were collected (Fig. 14). In 1974 participants of the Field Symposium, organized by the Volga-Urals Quaternary Comission visited the section. In 1977 the monograph «Fauna and Flora of Symbugino» (1977) was published. In 1981 participants of the All-Russian Quaternary Conference visited the section. In 1981–1983 palaeomagnetologists of the Kazan State University studied deposits of this section (I.V. Gleizer, 1983). Small mammals have been identified by V.P. Sukhov (Ufa) and A.K. Agadjanjan (Moscow); molluscs by A.V. Sydnev (Ufa), A.L.Chepalyga (Moscow); ostracods by M.G. Popova-Lvova (Ufa), pollens and spores by V.K. Nemkova and L.I. Alimbekova (Ufa), carpological remains by P.I. Dorofeev (St. Petersburg). Palaeomagnetical investigations were done by F.I. Suleimanova (Ufa), I.V. Gleizer (Kazan), petrographical- mineralogical investigations were carried out by E.I. Bezzubova (Ufa), engineer-geological studies by I.B. Rogoza (Ufa).

Description of the sections

The surface of the gully is at 195 m above sea level, the bottom 164 m above sea level. The deposits are described from the top to the base (Fig. 15).

Section I Quaternary Holocene (subaerial deposits – pd) Thickness, m 1. Sandy humous soil with a blocky structure and rare limestone rock debris………………………..0,4

50 Upper Pliocene and Pleistocene of the Southern Urals region

cs shells;samples– 15 / sedimentary break;– 18 boundary of the layer;19samples – ofsmall mammal remains.

The map of the territory and the Pliocene and Eopleistocene sections at Symbugino Symbugino at sections Eopleistocene and Pliocene and the territory of the The map Fig. 14. 1 – soil;–1 2–5loam;– 6 – silt; 7–8clay; – 9–10sands; – 11– shingle withsand; 12 – marl;– 13 botanical remains,– 14 mollus Legend: Legend: of molluscs shells; 16 – marlaceousconcretions; 17 – erosional base

and its significance for correlation of the eastern and western parts of Europe 51

Upper Eopleistocene (lacustrine, alluvial deposits – l, a) l (pgl) 2. Brown loam with a blocky structure and small white carbonate precipitation……………...0,6 l 3. Dark brown loam with white carbonate precipitation. The horizon with unconsolidated carbonate concretions (thickness is 1,5–2 cm, length is 3–10 cm) is located in the upper part of the layer……..0,6 l 4. Dark brown loam with large dense carbonate concretions (thickness is 5 cm, length is 20 cm)….0,4 l 5. Yellowish-brown loam with large carbonate concretions in the upper part of the layer (thickness 10–20 cm, length 18–40 cm)…………………………………………………………………………..0,5 a 6. Indistinct laminated gravels of small subangular pebbles and pieces of Permian limestone, sandston and flints and with a matrix of yellowish-brown fine sand……………………………………………0,9 Erosional base/Sedimentary break Middle Eopleistocene (lacustrine, alluvial deposits – l, a) l (pgl) 7. Gravel with small subangular pieces of light marl (diameter is nearly 3–4 mm) and with yellowish-brown clayey sand………………………………………………………………………….0,2 l 8. Yellowish-brown silty clay………………………………………………………………………..0,2 l 9. Yellowish-brown clayey silt with thin (thickness is 1–2 cm) interlayers of reddish-brown clay. The horizon of dense marlaceous concretions (thickness is 5–10 cm, length is 7–20 cm) is located in the upper part of the layer……………………………………………………………………………..0,5 l 10. Silt similar to the silt of the layer 9………………………………………………………………0,3 l 11. Pinkish-brown silt with a horizon of dense marl concretions (thickness is 5 cm, length is 12 cm) located in the upper part of the layer…………………………………………………………………..1,1 a (pt, rf) 12. Greyish-brown fine sand with green tint and with thin (thickness is 1–2 cm) horizontally bedded interbeds of pink brown clayey silt. Thin interbeds (thickness is 2–3 cm) of small gravels with a Permian origin are located in the lower part of the layer……………………………………………0,8 Erosional base/Sedimentary break. Lower Eopleistocene (lacustrine, alluvial deposits – l, a) l 13. Pink brown siltic clay with iron-staining and sandy interbeds in its upper part…………………0,9 Molluscs: Radix pereger elongata Clessin. Ostracods: Eucypris famosa Schneid. (149), E. horridus Sars (1173), Eucypris sp. (1), Lymnocythere producta Jasskevich et Kazmina (315). Radiolaria: Cenosphaera (?) sp. l 14. Pinkish-brown silt with pockets of greenish-yellow sand. Horizon of marlaceous concretions located in the upper part of the layer, rare pebbles occur in the lower part. The lower boundary is undulated….0,3–0,4 Traces of erosion.

52 Upper Pliocene and Pleistocene of the Southern Urals region a (pt) 15. Brownish-grey fine thin bedded sands with thin interbeds (thickness is 2–3 mm) of brown silt and coarse sand with small pebbles……………………………………………………………………0,7 a (rf) 16. Gravels with small rounded pebbles of Permian origin and with greyish-brown fine sand. Small mammal remains were found in this layer……………………………………………………...0,6

Neogene Upper Aktschagyl (lacustrine, alluvial deposits – l, a) l 17. Yellowish-brown horizontally bedded silt with thin (thickness is 1 cm) interbeds of pinkish-brown clay and green silt…………………………………………………………………………………0,3–0,4 l 18. Alternation of cross bedded fine sand (thickness is 20–40 cm) and reddish-brown silty clay (thickness is 10–12 cm). A horizon of pink marlaceous concretions occurs in the upper part of the layer (thickness is 3–4 cm)…………………………………………………………………………………..0,8 l 19. Pink brown clayey silt with interbeds of greyish-brown fine sand. The thickness of the sandy interbeds is in the upper part of the strata 20 cm, in the lower part 2–5 cm……………………………………..1,5 a (pt) 20. Greyish-brown fine horizontally bedded sands with interbeds of greenish-grey coarse sand in the upper part of the layer and with brown silt (the thickness is 2 mm – 1 cm)……………………0,6 a (pt) 21. Greenish-grey fine iron-stained cross-bedded sands with interbeds of greenish-grey sands in middle part and gravel lenses in the lower part of the layer (the thickness is 30 cm). Small mammal remains were found in this layer………………………………………………………………………2,2 Molluscs: Pisidium amnicum Müll. (3), Helicella sp, (2), ? Iphigena sp. (34), Stagnicola palustris Müll. (4), Planorbis planorbis L. (1), Gyraulus laevis Alder (4), ? Strobilops costata Cless. (1), Bithynia tentaculata L. (5), Lithoglyphus acutus G. Ppv. (2), Caspia turrita G. Ppv. (6), Cerastodema sp. Erosional base/Sedimentary break.

Middle Aktschagyl – N2a2 (limanian deposits – lт) pd 22a. Traces of the soil formation…………………………………………………………………...0,2 lт 22. Dark brown clay with iron-staining and manganese precipitation……………………………..0,9 Ostracods: Aglaiocypris aff. chutcievae Suzin (4), Liventalina gracilis (Liv.) (19), Ilyocypris bradyi Sars (1307), I. gibba (Ramd.) (5), Cyclocypris laevis (О. Müll.) (180), Cypria candonaeformis (Schw.) (3), Candona rostrata Brady et Norm. (2, 700 larvae), С. neglecta Sars (130, 600 larvae), С. angulata G. Müll. (4, 16 larvae), С. convexa Liv. (4), С. balatonica Daday (1), Eucypris famosa Schneid. (19), E. puriformis Mandel. (6), E. aff. crassa (O. Müll.) (33), E. magistrala Schneid. (37), Pseudostenocypria asiatica Schneid (47), Cypridopsis aff. formosa Schneid. (3), Zonocypris membranae Liv. (1), Leptocythere gubkini Liv. (4), Limnocythere tenuireticulata Suz. (215), L. scharapovae Schw. (192), L. chabarovensis M. Popova (79), L. flexa Neg. (54), Cyprideis torosa (Jones) (3042). lm 23. Yellowish-brown clayey, thin-bedded silt layer with iron-staining and with precipitation of manganese in its lower part……………………………………………………………………………0,2 Ostracods: Ilyocypris bradyi Sars (30), Cyclocypris laevis (О. Müll.) (2), Pseudostenocypria asiatica Schneid. (2), Limnocythere tenuireticulatа Suz. (4). and its significance for correlation of the eastern and western parts of Europe 53

Traces of the soil formation. lт 24. Dark grey clay with a little iron-staining………………………………………………………0,9 lт 25. Brown clay with molluscs Pisidium amnicum Müll., P. personatum Malm. (1) and Shaerium sp. Small carbonate concretions and carbonate precipitation occur near the lower boundary……………1,4

Lower Aktschagyl – N2a1 Kumurly Suite (limanian, lacustrine, alluvial deposits – lт, l, a) lт 26. Light brown iron-stained clayey silt……………………………………………………………0,7 Ostracods: Ilyocypris bradyi Sars (163), I. gibba (Ramd.) (68), Cypria candonaeformis (Schw.) (2201), С. pseudoarma М. Popova (4), Eucypris famosa Schneid. (10), Caspiocypris sp. (1), Dolerocypris sp. (l), Limnocythere tenuireticulata Suz. (21) and Cyprideis torosa (Jones) (918). lm 27. Brown silty clay with thin interbeds (thickness is 3–7 mm) of light yellow silt with molluscs and rare small mammals…………………………………………………………………………………...1,2 Molluscs: Sphaerium rivicola L., Pisidium amnicum (Müll.) (42), ? Iphigena sp. (1), Caspia turrita G. Ppv. (40) and Clessiniola julaevi G. Ppv. (2). Ostracods: Ilyocypris bradyi Sars (95), I. gibba (Ramd.) (61), Cypria candonaeformis (Schw.) (986), Cytherissa lacustriformis М. Popova (47) and Cyprideis torosa (Jones) (401). Traces of the soil formation. l, а 28. Brown fine iron-stained clayey sands with wood and molluscs………………………………0,3 Molluscs: Potomida ufensis Tschepalyga (5), Unio sp. (1), Stagnicola palustris Müll. (1) and Clessiniolla julaevi G. Ppv. (1). l 29. Greyish-brown clay with molluscs Pisidium amnicum Müll. (28), P. personatum Malm. (1), Valvata naticina Menke (2)…………………………………………………………………………………...0,65 a (pt) 30. Greyish-brown clayey silt with lenses of dark grey silt and yellow fine sand. Fragments of wood, mammal bones and molluscs were found……………………………………………………….0,95–1,0 Molluscs: Ebersininaia neustruevi (Andrus.) (1), Potomida baschkirica Sidnev (16), P. samarica (Andr.) (6), P. ufensis Tschepalyga (25), Potomida sр. (2), Crassiana praecrassoides Sidnev (8), Sphaerium solidum Norm, (15), Sph. rivicola L. (4), Pisidium annicum Müll. (5), P. personatum Malm. (5), Pisidium sp. (1), Dreissena polymorpha Pall. var angustiformis Koles. (1), Limnaea stagnalis L. (18), Coretus corneus L. (2), Planorbis planorbis L. (2), P. cоrneus L. (5), Gyraulus laevis Alder (4), Bathyomphalus contortus L. (1), Valvata piscinalis Müll. (2), V. naticina Menke (1), Bithynia tentaculata L. (2), Clessiniola julaevi concinna G. Ppv. (15), Caspia sp. (1) and Aktschagylia subcaspia (Andrus.) (2). Ostracods: Cypria candonaeformis (Schw.) (526) and Cyprideis torosa (Jones) (349). a (pt) 31. Grey fine sand with lenses of gravel and mollusks………………………………………....0,4 Molluscs: Pisidium amnicum Müll. (32), Valvata pulchella Müll. (1) and Clessiniola julaevi G. Ppv. (2). Ostracods: Cypria candonaeformis (Schw.) (20) and Cyprideis torosa (Jones) (8).

54 Upper Pliocene and Pleistocene of the Southern Urals region a (rf) 32. Gravels with small pebbles of Permian origin and with clayey sand and iron-staining. Fragments of wood, bones and shells occurred…………………………………………………………………...0,3 Molluscs: Potomida ufensis Tschepalyga (25), P. baschkirica Sidnev. (1), P. andrussovi G. Ppv. (5), Crassiana praecrassoides Sidnev (5), Unio aff. hybrida V. Bog. (3), U. cf. kujalnicensis Mand. (1), Sphaerium capillaceum Lindh. (3), Pisidium amnicum Müll. (82), P. personatum Malm. (8l), Pisidium sp. (1), Dreissena polymorpha Pall. var. angustiformis Koles. (4), ? Jphigena sp. (8), Succinea oblonga Drap. (1), Vallonia pulchella Müll. (50), Vertigo sp. (20), Carichium sp. (11), Coretus corneus L. (2), Planorbis planorbis L. (1), Paraspira spirorbus L. (8), Gyraulus laevis Alder (25), Valvata cristata Müll. (8), V. piscinalis Müll. (8), Bithynia tentaculata L. (18). Lithoglyphus acutus G. Ppv. (2), Caspia turrita G. Ppv. (29), Glessiniola julaevi G. Ppv. (18). Ostracods: Cypria candonaeformis (Schw.) (446), Cyprideis torosa (Jones) (76). Erosional base/Sedimentary break. Karlaman Suite (limanian deposits – lm) lm 33. Dark grey dense clayey silt with (0,3 m) brown interbeds of yellowish-brown fine sand in its upper part. The observed thickness is…………………………………………………………………1,1 Ostracods: Ilyocypris bradyi Sars (144), I. gibba (Ramd.) (26), Cypria canonaeformis (Schw.) (408), С. pseudoarma М. Popova (26), Cyclocypris laevis (G. Müll.) (9), Candona angulata G. Müll. (3), С. visenda Schneid. (1), С. convexa Liv. (3), Eucypris famosa Schneid. (2), E. aff. crassa (O. Müll.) (2), Cyprinotus sp. (2), Pseudosienocypria asiatica Schneid. (4), P. jachimovitschi М. Popova (8), Potamocypris sp. (2), Zonocypris membranae Liv. (6), Limnocythere tenuireticulata Suz. (10), L. chabarovensis М. Popova (2), L. scharapovae Schw. (2), Cyprideis torosa (Jones) (1804). Radiolaria: Cenosphaera sp. (2). Numerous small mammal remaines were found in layers 31–33. The base of the section. Section V Middle Aktschagylian deposits (equal to layers 22–25 of section I) were have been observed in section V, upstream of the section I. Thickness, m pd (lm) 22a. Dark grey loam (soil)…………………………………………………………………….0,5 m (lm) 22–23. Greyish-brown bedded loam with iron-staining……………………………………….1,3 Molluscs: Cerastoderma pseudoedule (Andrus.) (24), Clessiniola julaevi G. Ppv. (11), Pisidium amnicum Müll. (4). pd (lm), m 24. Black clay with brackishwater and freshwater mollusks………………………….0,2–0,3 т 25. Dark brown clay with brackishwater and freshwater molluscs. Observed thickness is………...1,2 In layers 24 and 25 molluscs occurred: Cerastoderma pseudoedule (Andrus.) (4), Micromelania sp. (5), Clessiniola julaevi G. Ppv. (5), Limnaea stagnalis L. (5), Succinea sp., Helicella sp. (2). In 1974 Z. N. Fedkovich determined Cerastoderта pseudoedule (Andrus.), C. vogdti (Andrus.), Aktschagylia ossoskovi Andrus., Pisidium sp., Succinea pfeifferi Rossm. and Bathyomphalus contortus L. and its significance for correlation of the eastern and western parts of Europe 55

Ostracods: Ilyocypris bradyi Sars (10), Cypria candonaeformis (Schw.) (1) and Candona angulata G. Müll. (1, 16 larvae).

Vegetation

Forest-steppe vegetation dominated during Kimmerian time; herbaceous pollen (in particular pollen of Dipsacaceae) are numerous. The climate was dry and warm. During Karlaman time coniferous Pinus-Picea forests with a diversity of trees species grew in surroundings of Symbugino and in others regions of the Southern Fore-Urals. The forests were composed of Far- Eastern-Asian and Western European species (see the carpological data, Tabl. 8). The pollen complex of the Kumurly deposits was similar to the Karlaman one; tree pollen dominated. The percentage of taiga species (Picea, Abies and Tsuga) increased during the first part of the Kumurly period. The Karlaman and Kumurly vegetation was of the characteristic Late Kinel type of vegetation with Pre-Pliocene relics, Far-Eastern-Asian and Western European species and modern species. In the Akkulaevo period (Middle Aktschagyl) several vegetation complexes occurred. During the transition from Zilim-Vasyljevo to Akkulaevo the taiga forest was replaced by steppes. It was time of the onset of the maximal transgression. During the second half of this period (the maximum of the Aktschagylian transgression) when the climate became colder, a Picea (Р. excelsa Link., Р. obovata Ldb.) forrest dominated; Pinus sect. Eupitys and Abies sp. were rare, Tsuga dissapeared almost. Pollen of Betula and Alnus are present, single pollen of Тilia and Quercus were also found. During Late Aktschagyl time after the retreat of Aktschagylian transgression, steppe vegetation dominated on dry and salinated soils. Coniferous forest grew on the interstream areas and small patches of deciduous forests occurred in the river valleys. The climate was cold. During the Lower Eopleistocene (Dema and Davlekanovo time) the climate was dry and warm, probably warmer than the modern climate. At the end of this period it became colder. The quantity of trees and grass pollen was about equal. Trees: Betula, Alnus, Quercus (Q. robus L., Quercus sp. indet.), Ulmus (U. foliacea Gilib., U. laevis Pall.), Carpinus betulus L., Tilia cordata Mill., Fraxinus sp., Acer sp. and Corylus sp. Grasses: Artemisia, herbaceous, Chenopodiaceae, Poaceae. During the Upper Eopleistocene the climate was dry and became colder at the end. The pollen composition of this time was similar to that of the Lower Eopleistocene (Fig. 16).

Ostracods

The Karlaman ostracod complex consists of widely distributed Pliocene fresh-water species Cypria candonaeformis, С. pseudoarma, Candona visenda, Zonocypris membranae ets., and typical Aktschagylian brackish-water species Limnocythere tenuireticulata Suz., L. scharapovae Schw., L. chabarovensis M. Popova, Eucypris aff. crassa (О. Müller), Pseudostenocypria asiatica Schneid., P. jachimovitschti M. Popova, Роtamocypris sp., Candona angulata G. Müller, Eucypris famosa Schneid., Candona visenda Schneid. (Tabl. 9). The Kumurly ostracod complex is characterised by the presence of Darvinula stevensoni (Brady et Roberts.), Eucypris aff. crassa (О. Müller), numerous Cypria, Cyprideis, Cytherissa lacustriformis M. Popova and Limnocythere tenuireticulata Suz.

56 Upper Pliocene and Pleistocene of the Southern Urals region

Table. 8. Carpological remains from the Kumurly deposits (Symbugino sections)

Kumurly Species Kumurly Suite Species Suite 1 2 1 2 Layer 30 Layer 30 Salvinia tuberculata Nikit. 2 megaspores Rubus pseudooccidentalis Dorof. numerous Pinus ex sect. Strobus Spach 4 seeds Potentilla sp. 1 8 fruits Pinus sp. 16 seeds Potentilla sp. 2 4 fruits Picea sp. numerous Potentilla sp. 3 2 fruits Abies sp numerous Potentilla sp. 4 1 fruit Taxus cf. baccata L. 2 seeds Potentilla sp. 5 17 fruits Sparganium minutum Dorof. 16 endocarps Fragaria viridis Duch. 7 fruits S. cf. simplex Huds. 12 endocarps Filipendula cf. ulmaria (L.) Maxim. 4 fruits Sparganium sp. 1 8 endocarps Euphorbia cf. palustris L. 16 seeds Sparganium sp. 2 1 endocarp E. cf. esula L. 13 seeds Potamogeton vaginatus Turcz 1 endocarp Acer campestrianum Dorof. 7 endocarps P. pectinatus L. 4 endocarps A. bashkiricum Dorof. 8 endocarps P. cf. acutifolius Link. 1 endocarp Paliurus cf. spina-christi Mill. 1 endocarp P. cf. coloratus Vahl 2 endocarps Frangula sp. 1 endocarp P. cf. heterophyllus Schreb 4 endocarps Tilia tomentosella Dorof. 9 fruits P. cf. natans L. 5 endocarps T. uralensis Dorof. 6 fruits Potamogeton sp. 1 2 endocarps Viola sp. 1 12 seeds Potamogeton sp.2 1 endocarp Viola sp. 2 13 seeds Potamogeton sp. 3 10 endocarps Viola sp. 3 15 seeds Potamogeton sp. 18 endocarps Viola sp. 4 11 seeds 4 fruits, Alisma plantago-aquatica L. Viola spp. numerous 30 tegmens Sagittaria sagittifolia L. 14 tegmens Decodon ex gr. globosus (E.M.Reid) Nikit. 1 seed Scirpus cf. triqueter L. many nuts Hippuris sp. 5 fruits Scirpus sp. 7 nuts Aralia bashkirica Dorof. 9 endocarps Cyperus sp. 1 nut Eleutherococcus uralensis Dorof. 4 endocarps Carex rostrata-pliocenica Nikit. many nuts Araliaceae gen. 1 endocarp С. flagellata С. et E. M. Reid 2 nuts Sium cf. latifolium L. 2 half-fruits С. szaferi Dorof. 16 nuts Oenanthe sp. 1 half-fruit Carex sp. 1 2 nuts Umbelliferae gen. 1 1 half-fruit Carex sp. 2 1 nut Umbelliferae gen. 2 fragment of fruits Carex sp. 3 2 nuts Swida sanguineaeformis Dorof. Numerous Carex sp. 4 1 nut Swida kineliana (Dorof.) Dorof. numerous Carex sp. 5 1 nut Naumburgia subthyrsiflora Nikit. 1 seed Carex sp. 6 1 nut Lysimachia sp. 1 seed Carex subgen. Vignea (Beauv.) Kirschl. 10 nuts Stachys palustris L. 17 fruits Lemna sp. 1 seed Siderites sp. 7 fruits Alnus sp. 6 nuts Mentha arvensis L. 33 fruits Corylus sp. fragment of the nut Origanum sp. 2 fruits 2 fragments of Quercus sp. Thymus sp. 1 fruit cupule Chenopodium hybridum L. 5 seeds Lycopus sp. 7 fruits Chenopodium sp. 2 seeds Labiatae gen. 1 2 fruits Morus cf. alba L. 2 endocarps Labiatae gen. 2 1 fruit Humulus rotundatus Dorof. 5 endocarps Solanum dulcamara L. 2 seeds Urtica sp. 1 4 fruits Physalis alkekengi L. 5 seeds Urtica sp. 2 3 fruits Viburnum lantanoides Dorof. 8 endocarps Pilea sp. 1 fruit Viburnum cf. opulus L. 1/5 endocarps Polygonum cf. persicaria L. 8 fruits Sambucus pusilla Dorof. many seeds Hamamelidaceae gen. 1 capsule S. bashkirica Dorof. many seeds Nuphar cf. tanaitica Dorof. 2 seeds S. cf. nigra L. 12 seeds Ceratophyllum cf. demersum L 1 fruit Sambucus cf. racemose L. 8 seeds and its significance for correlation of the eastern and western parts of Europe 57

1 2 1 2 Ranunculus trachycarpoides Dorof. many fruits Weigela bashkirica Dorof. many seeds R. cf. pseudobulbosus Schur 1 fruit Valeriana cf. pliocenica Dorof. 1 fruit R. cf. acer L. 7 fruits Carduus sp. 1 7 fruits R. cf. repens L. 8 fruits Carduus sp. 2 8 fruits R. ex gr. sceleratoides Nikit. 56 fruits Carduus sp. 3 8 fruits Ranunculus sp. l 3 fruits Cirsium sp. 1 5 fruits Ranunculus sp. 2 1 fruit Cirsium sp. 2 1 fruit Thalictrum cf. flavum L. 1 fruit Cirsium sp. 3 5 fruits Th. cf. foetidum L. 2 fruits Cirsium sp. 4 1 fruit Thalictrum sp. 2 fruits Cirsium sp. 5 2 fruits Cerasus cf. avium (L.) Moench 1 endocarp Senecio sp. 3 fruits Prunus cf. fruticosa Pall. 1 endocarp Arctium sp. 2 fruits Padus uralensis Dorof. sp. nov. 15 endocarps Carpolithus rosenkjaeri Hartr 3 fruits

The Middle Aktschagylian complex consists of brackish-water, fresh-water and marine species: Limnocythere gubkini Liv., Cyprideis littoralis (Brady), Candona neglecta Sars, Limnocythere flexa Neg., L. scharapovae Suz., L. tenuireticulata Suz., L. chabarovensis M. Popova, Candona convexa Liv., Aglaiocypris aff. chutcievae Suz., Eucypris puriformis Mandelst., E. magistrata Schneid., Cypridopsis aff. formosa Schneid. The Lower Eopleistocene complex contains numerous specimens of Eucypris famosa Schneid., E. horridus Sars and Limnocythere producta Jaskevich et Kazmina.

Molluscs

The Lower Aktschagylian mollusc complex (layers 26–33): Microcondylaea uralica Tshepalyga (2), Ebersininaia neustruevi (Andrus.) (31), E. sculpta Tshepalyga (2), Potamida baschkirica Sidnev (26), P. ufensis Tshepalyga (56), P. samarica (Andrus.) (6), Potomida sp. (35), P. andrussovi G. Ppv. (8), P. inflata Tshepalyga (3), P. karmasanica Tshepalyga (5), P. circula Tshepalyga (16), P. triangulata Tshepalyga (15), P. tumidiformis Lindh. (2), Crassiana praecrassoides Sidnev (9), Unio aff. hybrida V. Bog. (7), Unio cf. kujalnicensis Mand. (1), Anodonta sp. (1), Sphaerium rivicola L. (8), Sph. solidum Norm. (15), Sph. capillaceum Lindh. (4), Pisidium amnicum Müll. (178), P. personatum Malm. (96), Dreissena polymorpha (Pall.) var. angustiformis Koles. (6), Euconulus fulvus Müll. (1), Iphigena sp. (9), Succinea putris L. (14), S. ob-longa Drap. (10), Vallonia costata Müll. (13), V. pulchella Müll. (57), Vallonia sp. (16), Vertigo substriata Jeff. (14), Vertigo sp. (20), Cochlicopa sp. (2), Albinula sp. (6), Carychium minimum Müll. (5), Carychium sp. (11), Limnaea stagnalis L. (29), Limnaea sp. (4), Stagnicola palustris Müll. (1), Planorbarius corneus L. (20), Planorbis planorbis L. (12), Paraspira spirorbis L. (8), Gyraulus laevis Alder (50), G. albus Müll. (42), Bathyomphalus contortus L. (1), Valvata cristata Müll. (8), V. naticina Menke (3), V. piscinalis Müll. (10), Valvata pulchella Stud. (1), Strobilops costata Cless. (1), Bithynia tentaculata L. (56), Lithoglyphus acutus G. Ppv. (4), Caspia turrita G. Ppv. (94) and Clessiniola julaevi G. Ppv. (40). The Middle Aktschagylian complex: Cerastoderma pseudoedule (Andrus.) (34), С. dombra (Andrus.) (2), Avimactra subcaspia (Andrus.) (2), Micromelania sp. (10), Caspia G. Ppv. (4), Clessiniola julaevi G. Ppv. (12), Pisidium personatum Malm.(l), Helicella sp. (2), Iphigena sp. (1), Limnaea stagnalis L. (6), Radix ovata Drap. (1) and Valvata piscinalis Müll. (5). Z. N. Fedkovich (Saratov, 1973) defined next species: Cerastoderma vogdti (Andrus.), Cerastoderma (Replidacna) sp., Aktschagylia ossoskovi Andrus, Pisidium sp., Succinea pfeifferi Rossm., Bathyomphalus contortus L. The Upper Aktschagylian complex: Pisidium amnicum Müll. (3), Stagnicola palustris Müll.(4), Helicella sp. (2), Iphigena sp. (34), Planorbis planorbis L. (l), Gyraulus laevis Alder (4), Strobilops costata Cless. (1), Bithynia tentaculata L. (5) and Lithoglyphus acutus G. Ppv. (2) (Tabl. 10).

58 Upper Pliocene and Pleistocene of the Southern Urals region

and its significance for correlation of the eastern and western parts of Europe 59

.

The section Symbugino and a pollen diagram (by A.V. Sydnev, V.L. Yakchemovich, I.N. Semenov, V.K. Nemkova and L.I. Alimbekova) L.I. and Nemkova V.K. Semenov, I.N. Yakchemovich, V.L. Sydnev, A.V. (by diagram a pollen and Symbugino section The Legend see Fig. 5. see Fig. Legend Fig. 16.

60 Upper Pliocene and Pleistocene of the Southern Urals region

Table 9. The stratigraphical distribution of the ostracods in the Symbugino sections

Neogene Quaternary Pliocene Pleistocene Species Aktschagyl Eopleistocene Lower Aktschagyl Middle Lower link Karlaman Suite Kumurly Suite Aktschagyl Darwinula stevensoni (Br. et Rob.) 1 Aglaicypris aff. chutcievae Suz. 1 21 Liventalina gracilis (Liv.) 1 Ilyocypris bradyi Sars 439 253 1337 I. gibba (Ramd.) 26 133 5 Cyclocypris laevis (O. Müll.) 9 182 Cypria candonaeformis (Schw.) 592 3177 1005 C. pseudoarma M. Popova 24 9 Candona neglecta Sars 1430 C. neglecta juv. C. angulata G. Müll. 3 20 C. convexa Liv. 4 C. rostrata Brady et Norm. 2 C. balatonica Daday 1 С. visenda (Schn.) 1 Eucypris famosa Schn. 2 12 19 149 E. pusiformis Mandelst. 6 E. aff. crassa (O. Müll.) 2 1 33 E. magistrata Schneid. 37 E. horridus (Sars) 1073 Dolerocypris sp. 1 Pseudostenocypria asiatica 4 49 Schneid. P. jachimovitschi M. Popova 8 Cyprinotus sp. 2 Cypridopsis aff. formosa Schneid. 3 Potamocypris sp. 2 Zonocypris membranae Liv. 6 1 Cytherissa lacustriformis M. Popova 47 Leptocythere gubkini Liv. 4 Limnocythere tenuireticulata Suz. 9 23 219 L. scharapovae Schw. 2 192 L. flexa Neg. 54 L. chabarovensis M. Popova 2 79 L. producta Jaskevich et Kazmina 315 Cyprideis torosa (Jones) 1822 1780 3050 Legend: 1–5 6–15 16–30 > 30

specimens specimens specimens specimens and its significance for correlation of the eastern and western parts of Europe 61

Table 10. The stratigraphical distribution of molluscs in the Symbugino sections

Neogene Pliocene Species Aktschagyl Lower Aktschagyl Middle Upper Karlaman Suite Kumurly Suite Aktschagyl Aktschagyl 1 2 3 4 5 Succinea oblonga Drap. 9 1 S. pfeifferi Rossm. ** S. putris L. 14 Vallonia costata Müll. 13 V. pulchella Müll. 57 Vallonia sp. 16 Vertigo substriata Jeff. 14 Vertigo sp. 20 Cochlicopa sp. 2 Albinula sp. 6 Carychium minimum Müll. 5 Carychium sp. 11 Euconulus fulvus Müll. 1 Helicella sp. 2* 2 ?? Iphigena sp. 1 34 ??Strobilops costata Cless. Limnaea stagnalis L. 11 18 6* Limnaea sp. 4 Radix ovata Drap. 1 R. pereger Müll. Stagnicola palustris Müll. 1 4 Planorbis planorbis L. 10 3 1 Paraspira spirorbis L. 8 Coretus corneus L. 12 4 Gyraulus laevis Alder. 21 29 4 G. albus Müll. 42 Bathyomphalus contortus L. 1 ** Valvata pulchella Müll. 1 V. cristata Müll. 8 V. naticina Menke 3 V. piscinalis Müll. 10 5* Bithynia tentaculata L. 38 20 5 Lithoglyphus acutus G. Ppv. 2 2 2 Caspia turrita G. Ppv. 94 4 6 Clessiniola julaevi G. Ppv. 40 22 Micromeiania sp. 10 Cerastoderma pseudoedule (Andrus.) 34 C. vogdti (Andrus.) ** C. dombra (Andrus.) 2* Aktschagylia subcaspia (Andrus.) 2* A. ossoskovi (Andrus.) **, *

62 Upper Pliocene and Pleistocene of the Southern Urals region

1 2 3 4 5 Micricondylaea uralica Tshepalyga 2* Ebersininaia neustruevi (Andrus.) 6* 25 E. sculpta Tshepalyga 2* Potomida baschkirica Sidnev 26, * P. inflata Tshepalyga 3* P. agydelica Tshepalyga 15* 8 P. karmasanica Tshepalyga 5* P. circula Tshepalyga 16* P. ufensis Tshepalyga 15* 39 P. samarica (Andrus.) 6* Potomida sp. 1 34 Unio praecrassoides Sidnev 9, * U. aff. hybrida V. Bog. 4 3 U. cf. kujalnicensis Mand. 1 Anodonta sp. 1 Sphaerium rivicola L. 8* S. solidum Norm. 15 S. capillaceum Lindh. 1 3 Pisidium amnicum Müll. 16 162 4 3 P. personatum Malm. 11 85 1 Dreissena polymorpha (Pall.) var. 1 5 angustiformis Kolesn. *Species, identified by A. L. Chepalyga (Moscow, 1972). ** Species, identified by Z. N. Fedkovich (Saratov, 1973). Legend:

1–10 11–20 21–30 31–50 > 50 specimens specimens specimens specimens specimens

Mammals

The bone-bearing layer is composed of sands and shingles of the Kumurly suite. The revised faunal list of small mammals includes Insectivora: Sorex cf. runtonensis, Sorex cf. minutus, Petenyia sp., Beremendia sp., Blarinoides mariae, Allosorex sp., Talpa sp., Desmana sp., and Erinaceus sp., Lagomorpha: Ochotona sp. and Pliolagus brachygnatus, Rodentia: Tamias orlovi, Spermophilus sp., Trogontherium minus, Castor sp., Sinocastor zdanskyi, Apodemus sp., Cricetus sp., Cricetulus sp., Prosiphneus ex gr. praetingi, Germanomys trilobodon, Synaptomys (Plioctomys) mimomiformis, Villanyia ex gr. exilis, Borsodia sp., Promimomys gracilis akkulaewae, Promimomys baschkirica, and Mimomys polonicus. The proportion of lagomorphs in the Simbugino taphocoenosis is 10%. Insectivores and rodents are relatively diverse. However, the evolutionary level of voles is similar to that of voles from the Akkulaevo suite. Their molars also have high tracks, and teeth of Mimomys have external cementum. This shows that small mammals from Simbugino are comparable to the faunas from the second half of the Middle Pliocene, such as the Akkulaevo, Uryv–2, and Rebelice Krolewski faunas. However, it is hardly probable that they are synchronous. The Simbugino Fauna dwelt in different, more favourable, palaeogeographical conditions and probably belonged to an earlier phase of the Middle Pliocene (Tabl. 11). and its significance for correlation of the eastern and western parts of Europe 63

Table 11. The stratigraphical distribution of the small mammals in the Symbugino sections

Upper Pliocene Quaternary Aktschagyl Pleistocene Species Lower Upper Eopleistocene Kumurly Suite Voevodskoye Suite Lower link Layers 31, 32 21 16 Mammal’s horizons Lower Middle Upper Insectivora Sorex cf. runtonensis Hinton 6 S. cf. minutus Linn. 2 Sorex sp. 3 Petenyia sp. 4 Beremendia sp. 2 Blarinoides mariae Sulimski 12 Allosorex sp. 11 Talpa sp. 24 Desmana sp. 14 Erinaceus sp. 7 Lagomorpha Ochotona sp. 3 Pliolagus brachygnatus 334 4 1 Rodentia Tamias orlovi Kowalski 8 Spermophilus sp. 1 Trogontherium minus Newton 4 Castor sp. 3 Sinocastor zdanskyi Joung 2 Apodemus sp. 1 Cricetus sp. 1 Cricetulus sp. 7 Mimomys gracilis akkulaewae Suchov 104 6 M. baschkirica Suchov 254 M. (Mimomys) cf. coelodus Kretzoi 57 Villanyia ex gr. exilis Kretzoi 27 Borsodia sp. 17 Mimomys polonicus Kowalski 55 Germanomys trilobodon (Kowalski) 1 Synaptomys (Plioctomys) mimomiformis 12 Suchov Lemini gen. ? 10 Microtidae gen. (rootsdens without cement) 2385 35 8 Microtidae gen. (rootsdens with cement) 369 5 2 Prosiphneus ex gr. praetingi Teilhard 32 7 1 Carnivora Martes sp. 2 Artiadactyla Cervus ex gr. elaphus Linn. 8

64 Upper Pliocene and Pleistocene of the Southern Urals region

Palaeomagnetic investigations (Suleimanova, 1977; Gleizer, 1983).

The Palaeomagnetic investigations of the Eopleistocene and Pliocene deposits were carried out by F.I. Suleimanova (sampled 47 levels) (Fig. 17) and I.V. Gleizer (sampled 61 levels). The layers 2–24 show a reversed polarity and are correlated to the Matuyama palaeomagnetic Epoch. The boundary between the Matuyama and the Gauss palaeomagnetic Epochs occurs in the Middle Aktschagyl marine deposits of the layer 25. Deposits of the Lower Aktschagyl (layers 26–31) show a normal polarity and are referred to the Gauss palaeomagnetic Epoch with the two events Mammoth (?) and Kaena (?). F.I. Suleimanova concluded that layers 32–34 should be correlated to the end of the Gilbert Epoch, a period with reverse polarity. The boundary between Gauss and Gilbert must be in the Lower Aktschagyl deposits. F.I. Suleimanova found two events in that part of the sections that is correlated to the Matuyama palaeomagnetic Epoch. One in the Upper Eopleistocene deposits (Kamikatsura?), the second in the Middle Aktschagyl deposits (Réunion?). I.V. Gleizer also noted two events in the same part of the section, but the stratigraphical location of the events differs. The first event, correlated to the Jaramillo Event, is located in the Middle Eopleistocene deposits of layer 10 and the second one, correlated to the Olduvai(?) Event, is observed in the Lower Eopleistocene deposits of layer 16.

Problems

The discrepancies between the data of the two palaeomagnetical studies makes a re-investigation of the Symbugino sections necessary.

References

Yakchemovich, V. L, 1981. Pliocene stratigraphy of the Fore-Urals (in Russian). In: Pliocene and Pleistocene of the Volga-Urals region. Nauka (Moscow): 43–52. Yakchemovich, V. L, Nemkova, V. K., Suleimanova, F. I., Dorofeev, P. I., Popova-Lvova, M. G., Sydnev, A. V., Chepalyga, A. L., Sukhov, V. P., Bezzubova & E. I., Rogoza, I. B., 1977. Fauna and flora of Symbugino (in Russian). Nauka (Moscow): 234 pp.

Fig. 17. The Symbugino section. Palaeomagnetic data (by F. I. Suleimanova and V.L. Yakchemovich, 1977). Legend see Fig. 10.

and its significance for correlation of the eastern and western parts of Europe 65

66 Upper Pliocene and Pleistocene of the Southern Urals region

THE NOVO-SULTANBEKOVO SECTIONS

Location

The sections are located to the east of the village Novo-Sultanbekovo in the valley of the creek Zipanjyaz which falls into the river Kuvash (the river Belaya Basin) (Dyurtyuly Region, Bashkortostan Republic) (Fig. 1).

History

In 1959 D.N. Burakaev described, for the first time, outcrops of Aktschagylian deposits in the Dyurtyuly Region of the Bashkortostan Republic. In 1960 V.L. Yakchemovich described the exposures of Pliocene deposits in the gully to the east of the village Novo-Sultanbekovo. In 1965 the description of this section was published in the monograph “The Anthropogene of the Southern Urals” (Yakchemovich, 1965). In 1975 A.V. Sydnev and E.I. Bezzubova investigated this section and described new outcrops of Pliocene and Eopleistocene deposits (Fig. 18, 19). They also collected molluscs; G.A. Danukalova identified the molluscs collected A.V. Sydnev and V.L. Yakchemovich. The identifications by A.V. Sydnev and G.I. Popov (in 1960) (the originals are lost) are included in table 12 and marked with * & **). Ostracods are identified by M.G. Popova-Lvova.

Description of the sections

The edge of the valley is at 150 m above sea level. The deposits are described from the top to the base.

Fig. 18. Location of the sections (I–IV) in the valley of the creek Zipanjyaz near the village Novo-Sultanbekovo

and its significance for correlation of the eastern and western parts of Europe 67

Section I Quaternary Holocene (subaerial deposits – pd) Thickness, m 1. Soil (chernozem)……………………………………………………………………………………0,6

Pleistocene Eopleistocene (slope deposits, alluvial deposits – d, a) 2. Brownish-grey sandy loam with rounded and angulated pebbles and gravel of limestone and flint (diameter is 0,5–5 cm). Numerous pebbles and carbonate concretions occur in the lower part of the layer. The bed located on an erosional surface………………………………………………………………0,7 Erosional surface. Neogene Upper (?) Aktschagyl, Voevodskoye Suite (limanian deposits – lm) 3. Yellowish-grey fine polymictic sands with sub rounded pebbles, marls and limestone in the upper part of the layer……………………………………………………………………………………………..0,5

Middle Aktschagyl, Akkulaevo Suite (limanian, marine deposits – lm, m) lm 4. Alternation of reddish-brown clay (thickness is 15 cm) and greenish-yellow coarse-grained polymictic sands (thickness is 20 cm). Molluscs occur in clayey interbeds: Viviparus cf. romaloi Cob. (1), Lithoglyphus sp., Clessiniola sp. (5), Dreissena polymorpha var. angustiformis Kolesn. (2), Aktschagylia subcaspia (Andrus.), Pisidium amnicum (Müll.) (7) and ostracods: Ilyocypris bradyi Sars (2), Cypria candonaeformis (Schw.) (50), Candona fabaeformis (Fisch.) (1), Cyprideis torosa (Jones) (1). Marl concretions (diameter is 5–7 cm) occur in the middle part of this layer………………………………2,7 lm 5. Greenish-yellow fine polymictic bedded sands with small clayey concretions and rare shells of molluscs occur in the upper part of the layer: Valvata naticina Menke (1), Aktschagylia subcaspia (Andrus.) (2), Pisidium amnicum (Müll.) (6)…………………………………………………………………….0,7 lm 6. An alternation of reddish-brown clay and greenish-yellow fine polymictic sands with shells of Caspia turrita G. Ppv. (1), Caspiella roseni G. Ppv. (1), Clessiniola sp., Dreissena polymorpha (Pall.) (5), Aktschagylia subcaspia (Andrus.) and ostracods: Ilyocypris bradyi Sars (2), Cypria candonaeformis (Schw.) (91), Paracyprideis naphtatscholana (Liv.) (3). There are 4 horizons with marl concretions ……….2,5 m 7. Yellow iron-stained (in the upper part of the layer) fine polymictic sands with small clayey concretions and shells of: Viviparus turritus V.Bog. (8), V. achatinoides Desh. (7+20 juv.), V. romaloi Cob. (10*), Bithynia tentaculata L. (11), B. vucatinovici Brus. (4), B. cf. spoliata Sabba (3), Valvata naticina Menke (1), V. piscinalis antiqua Sow. (19), V. piscinalis Müll. (3), Lithoglyphus cf. decipiens Brus. (10), L. aff. naticoides Fer. (2), Clessiniola aff. utvensis (Andrus.) (6*), С. julaevi G. Ppv. (16), ? Scalaxis sp. (1), Dreissena polymorpha (Pall.) (5), D. polymorpha var. angustiformis Kolesn. (21), D. polymorpha

68 Upper Pliocene and Pleistocene of the Southern Urals region incrassata Andrus. (4*), Cerastoderma pseudoedule (Andrus.) (1), C. dombra (Andrus.) (9), Aktschagylia subcaspia (Andrus.) (13), A. ossoskovi (Andrus.) (17), Unio riphaei Popov (4*), U. aff. tamanensis Ebers. (2*), U. cf. neustruevi Andrus (4*), U. cf. naphtalanicus Andrus. (4*), Sphaerium rivicola L. (10), Pisidium amnicum (Müll.) (7) and ostracods: Ilyocypris bradyi Sars (3), Сyclocypris laevis (O. Müller) (1), Cypria candonaeformis (Schw.) (63), Candona fabaeformis (Fisch.) (2), Limnocythere uraliensis M. Popova (1) and Cyprideis torosa (Jones) (1)………………………………………………………0,7 m 8. Greenish-grey fine polymictic sands with detritus of molluscs: Dreissena polymorpha (Pall.) (44), Aktschagylia sp. (33)…………………………………………………………………………………..0,5 m 9. Alternation of reddish-brown clay and greenish-yellow, yellow fine polymictic sand. The interbed of yellow sand (thickness is 15 cm) is located in the middle part of this layer. Molluscs present in this layer are: Viviparus romaloi Cob. (7*), V. achatinoides Desh. (50), V. turritus Bog. (1), V. pseudoachatinoides Pav. (1*), V. baschkiricus G. Ppv. (2), V. proserpinae V. Bog. (1*), Valvata piscinalis antiqua Sow. (11), V. naticina Menke (2), V. piscinalis Müll. (2), Bithynia vucatinovici Brus. (1), Lithoglyphus cf. decipiens G. Ppv. (13), Clessiniola julaevi G. Ppv. (31), Dreissena polymorpha (Pall.) (5), D. polymorpha (Pall.) var. angustiformis Kolesn. (41), D. isseli Andrus. (3), Aktschagylia subcaspia (Andrus.) (27), A. ossoskovi (Andrus.) (4), Sphaerium rivicola Lam. (107), Pisidium amnicum Müll. (5), Unio riphaei Popov (2*), U. tertius V. Bog. (2*), U. neustruevi geometrica Andrus. (3*), U. cf. nicolaianus Brus. (1*), Unio sp. (9*)……………………………………………………………………………………………..1 m 10. Gravels with flint, limestone, quartz and sandstone pebbles (diameter is 0,5–3 cm) and greenish- yellow fine polymictic sands. Interbeds of reddish-brown clay occur in the upper part of the layer (thickness is 1–3 cm). Mollusc shells are numerous: Succinea sp. (1), Pupilla mutabilis Steklov (1*), Vallonia sp. (1), Armiger crista L. (1), Planorbis planorbis L. (4), Viviparus romaloi Cob. (120*), V. turritus V. Bog. (10), V. achatinoides Desh. (4), V. pseudoachatinoides Pavl. (5*), V. baschkiricus G. Ppv. (3), V. sinzovi Pavl. (1*), V. proserpinae V. Bog. (8*), Viviparus sp. (21), Bithynia spoliata Sabba (48), B. cf. vucatinovici Brus. (14), B. tentaculata L. (55), Valvata piscinalis antiqua (Sow.) (192), V. piscinalis Müll. (50), V. naticina Menke (346), Lithoglyphus sp. (cf. decipiens) (219), Clessiniola aff. utvensis (Andrus.) (1*), Clessiniola sp. (numerous), Caspia sp. (numerous), ? Scalaxis sp. (1), operculum (1), Dreissena polymorpha (Pall.) (6), D. polymorpha (Pall.) var. angustiformis Kolesn. (240), D. isseli Andrus. (4), Cerastoderma pseudoedule (Andrus.) (5), C. dombra (Andrus.) (22), Aktschagylia subcaspia (Andrus.) (280), A. ossoskovi (Andrus.) (26), Unio riphaei Popov (156*), U. aff. andrussovi Popov (4*), U. aff. hybrida V. Bog. (1*), U. cf. tertius V. Bog. (1*), U. lenticularis Sabba (13*), U. ex gr. transvolgensis (2*), Unio sp. (12*), Sphaerium cf. rivicola L. (148), Pisidium amnicum Müll. (63), P. supinum A.Sch. (1) and ostracods: Cypria candonaeformis (Schw.) (16), Cyprideis torosa (Jones) (4). Observed thickness is………….3,5 The base of the section.

Section II

The section located in 150 m upstream from the section I on the left bank of the valley (fig. 18, 20). The edge of the valley is at 150 m above sea level.

Quaternary Holocene (subaerial deposits – pd) Thickness, m 1. Soil (chernozem) with a lumpy structure and roots of plants………………………………………0,5 and its significance for correlation of the eastern and western parts of Europe 69

Fig. 20. Fragment of layers of section II near the village Novo-Sultanbekovo

Pleistocene

Eopleistocene – Lower Neopleistocene (slope deposits – d) 2. Brown porous carbon-bearing loam with columnar jointing……………………………………….0,5

Middle (?) Eopleistocene (slope and surface deposits – d, el) 3. Reddish-brown carbon-bearing loam with limestone pebbles and flints (diameter is 0,5–1,5–2 cm), angulated fragments of limestone (5×10 cm) and pebble lenses (10×40 cm). Greenish-brown polymictic poorly sorted sands with flint pebbles located in the base of the layer on the erosional base…………..6

Lower (?) Eopleistocene (slope-alluvial deposits – d, а) 4. Reddish-brown and brown gravels with flint, marl, quartz, limestone and sandstone pebbles with lenses of greenish-yellow coarse and inequigranular sands with shell detritus: Dreissena sp., Valvata sp., Caspia sp. The gravels are cross-bedded (angle is 20°) and with sinuous bedding. Gravels with sands and detritus form the base of the layer……………………………………………………………………………...0,6

Erosional base / Sedimentary break.

Neogene Upper (?) Aktschagyl, Voevodskoye Suite (alluvial deposits – a) 5. Greenish-grey iron-stained medium grain-sized polymictic cross-bedded sands (angle is 45°) with pebbles and shell cdetritus: Viviparus pseudoachatinoides Pavl. (1*), V. romaloi Cob. (5*), Valvata sp., Aktschagylia sp., Dreissena polymorpha (Pall.) (5), Caspia sp., Clessiniola sp. Detritus, molluscs, flint pebbles (diameter is 2 cm) occur in the lower part of this layer………………………………………0,8 Erosional surface.

70 Upper Pliocene and Pleistocene of the Southern Urals region

Middle Aktschagyl, Akkulaevo Suite (limanian, alluvial deposits – lm, a) 6. Greenish-yellow fine polymictic bedded sands. Two reddish-brown clayey beds (thickness is 2 cm and 0,2 cm) with marl concretions and shells of Unio sp., Aktschagylian gastropods occur in the middle part and in the lower part of the layer. Molars of voles were also found…………………………………..1,7 7. Grey fine- and middle grained polymictic sands with a iron-stained upper part…………………...0,3 8. Greenish-yellow iron-stained fine polymictic sands with lenses and interbeds (thickness is 3–5 cm) of reddish-brown clay. Marl concretions and detritus of Unio sp., Potomida sp.; gastropoda were also found in this layer. The observed thickness is………………………………………………………...2,9 The bottom of the valley.

Section III

The edge of the valley is at 130 m above sea level.

Quaternary Holocene (subaerial deposits – pd) 1. Soil (chernozem) with a lumpy structure………………………………………………………….0,25

Neogene Middle Aktschagyl, Akkulaevo Suite (limanian, alluvial deposits – lm, a) 2. Grey sands with flint and limestone pebbles, pockets of reddish-brown clay and flint pebbles in the lower part of the layer…………………………………………………………………………………0,7 Erosional base/Sedimentary break. 3. Greenish-yellow fine polymictic sands with pockets and lenses of reddish-brown clay and isolated fragments of molluscs: Caspia sp., Clessiniola sp…………………………………………………….1,7 4. Grey middle-grained polymictic sands (the same as layer 7 of section II). The observed thickness is…0,3 Slope deposits……………………………………………………………………………………………3

Section IV

The section is located 200 m to the south of section III on the left bank of the valley (Fig. 18). The edge of the valley is 142 m above sea level. Quaternary Holocene (subaerial deposits – pd) Thickness, m 1. Soil (chernozem) with a lumpy structure and roots of plants………………………………………0,3 and its significance for correlation of the eastern and western parts of Europe 71

Pleistocene

Eopleistocene – Lower Neopleistocene (slope deposits – d) 2. Brown porous loam with pebbles of limestone, sandstone and flints………………………………0,6

Lower (?) Eopleistocene (slope-alluvial deposits – d, а) 3. Grey poorly sorted polymictic sands with lenses of numerous pebbles of limestone and flints and with organic detritus. Reddish-brown clay (thickness 0,3 m) located in the lower part of the layer…………1

Neogene Upper (?) Aktschagyl, Voevodskoye Suite (alluvial deposits – a) 4. Grey polymictic iron-stained medium- and fine grained, cross-bedded sands with thin interbeds of silt and organic detritus……………………………………………………………………………………0,7

Middle Aktschagyl, Akkulaevo Suite (limanian, alluvial deposits – lm, a) 5. Greenish-yellow polymictic medium- and fine grained sands with lenses and interbeds of reddish-brown clay and organic detritus: Valvata sp., Aktschagylia sp., Dreissena sp., Caspia sp., Clessiniola sp……2 6. Alternation of reddish-brown clay with marl concretions and greenish-grey fine polymictic cross- bedded sands…………………………………………………………………………………………..1,7 7. Greenish-yellow polymictic fine sands with organic detritus: Valvata sp., Aktschagylia sp., Dreissena sp., Caspia sp., Clessiniola sp…………………………………………………………………………3,2 8. Gravel with pebbles of flint, marl, reddish-brown clay and limestone and a matrix of brown inequigranular sands. Numerous fragments of shells were found: Unio sp., Viviparus sp., Valvata sp. The observed thickness is………………………………………………………………………………..3 The base of the section. The correlation between the Novo-Sultanbekovo sections is shown on the Figure 21.

Molluscs (Tabl. 12, Plates I–IV)

The Middle Aktschagylian mollusc complex from the marine deposits: Succinea sp. (1), Pupilla mutabilis Steklov (1), Vallonia sp. (1), Armiger crista L. (1), Planorbis planorbis L. (4), Viviparus romaloi Cob. (137*), V. turritus V. Bog. (19), V. achatinoides Desh. (81), V. pseudoachatinoides Pavl. (6*), V. baschkiricus G. Ppv. (5), V. sinzovi Pavl. (1*), V. proserpinae V. Bog. (9*), Viviparus sp. (21), Bithynia spoliata Sabba (51*), B. cf. vucatinovici Brus. (19), B. tentaculata L. (66), Valvata piscinalis antiqua (Sow.) (221), V. piscinalis Müll. (55), V. naticina Menke (349), Lithoglyphus sp. (cf. decipiens) (242), L. aff. naticoides Fer. (2), Clessiniola aff. utvensis (Andrus.) (7*), С. julaevi G. Ppv. (47), Clessiniola sp. (numerous), Caspia sp. (numerous), ?Scalaxis sp. (2), operculum (1), Dreissena polymorpha (Pall.) (60), D. polymorpha (Pall.) var. angustiformis Kolesn. (302), D. isseli Andrus. (7*), D. polymorpha incrassata

72 Upper Pliocene and Pleistocene of the Southern Urals region

Andrus. (4*), Cerastoderma pseudoedule (Andrus.) (6), C. dombra (Andrus.) (31), Aktschagylia subcaspia (Andrus.) (320), A. ossoskovi (Andrus.) (47), Unio riphaei Popov (162*), U. aff. andrussovi Popov (4*), U. aff. hybrida V. Bog. (1*), U. cf. tertius V. Bog. (3*), U. lenticularis Sabba (13*), U. ex gr. transvolgensis (2*), U. aff. tamanensis Ebers. (2*), U. cf. neustruevi Andrus (4*), U. neustruevi geometrica Andrus. (3*), U. cf. naphtalanicus Andrus. (4*), U. cf. nicolaianus Brus. (1*), Unio sp. (21*), Sphaerium cf. rivicola L. (265), Pisidium amnicum Müll. (75), P. supinum A. Schm. (1).

Table 12. The stratigraphical distribution of molluscs in the Novo-Sultanbekovo sections Neogene Aktschagyl Species Middle Aktschagyl Upper Aktschagyl Akkulaevo Suite Voevodskoye Suite Section I II Layers 10 7–9 4–6 5 1 2 3 4 5 Succinea sp. 1 Pupilla mutabilis Steklov 1 Vallonia sp. 1 ? Scalaxis sp. 1 1 Armiger crista L. 1 Planorbis planorbis L. 4 Bithynia tentaculata L. 55 11 B. spoliata Sab.* 48 3 B. vucatinovici Brus. 14 5 Valvata piscinalis antiqua Sow. 192 30 V. piscinalis Müll. 50 5 V. naticina Menke 346 3 1 Valvata sp. x Lithoglyphus sp. (cf. decipiens) 219 23 x L. aff. naticoides Fer.* 2 Clessiniola julaevi G. Ppv. numerous 47 Cl. aff. utvensis (Andrus.)* 1 6 Clessiniola sp. 5+x x Caspia turrita G. Ppv.*, ** 1 Caspia sp. numerous x Caspiella roseni G. Ppv.* 1 Viviparus baschkiricus G. Ppv. 3 2 Viviparus romaloi Cob.* 120 17 1 5 V. turritus V. Bog. 10 9 V. achatinoides Desh. 4 77 V. pseudoachatinoides Pavl.* 5 1 1 V. sinzovi Pavl.* 1 V. proserpinae V. Bog.* 8 1 Viviparus sp. 21 0perculum 1 Dreissena polymorpha (Pall.) 6 54 5 5 D. polymorpha (Pall.) var. angustiformis Kolesn. 240 62 2 and its significance for correlation of the eastern and western parts of Europe 73

1 2 3 4 5 D. incrassata Andrus.* 4 D. isseli Andrus.*, ** 4 3 Cerastoderma pseudoedule (Andrus.)* 5 1 C. dombra (Andrus.) 22 9 Aktschagylia subcaspia (Andrus.) 280 60 2+x A. ossoskovi (Andrus.) 26 21 Aktschagylia sp. 33 x Unio riphaei Popov* 156 6 U. aff. andrussovi Popov* 4 U. aff. hybrida V. Bog.* 1 U. cf. tertius V. Bog.* 1 2 U. lenticularis Sabba* 13 U. ex gr. transvolgensis* 2 U. cf. neustruevi Andrus.* 7 U. aff. tamanensis Ebers.* 2 U. cf. naphtalanicus Andrus.* 4 U. cf. nicolaianus Brus.* 1 Unio sp. 12 9 Sphaerium cf. rivicola L. 148 117 Pisidium supinum A. Schm.** 1 P. amnicum Müll. 63 12 13 Legend: 1–10 11–20 21–30 31–50 > 50 specimens specimens specimens specimens specimens

The Middle Aktschagylian mollusc complex from limanian deposits: Caspia turrita G. Ppv. (1), Caspiella roseni G. Ppv. (1*), Viviparus cf. romaloi Cob. (1), Lithoglyphus sp., Clessiniola sp. (10), Valvata naticina Menke (1), Aktschagylia subcaspia (Andrus.) (2), Dreissena polymorpha (Pall.), Dreissena polymorpha (Pall.) var. angustiformis Kolesn. (2), Pisidium amnicum (Müll.) (13) The Upper Aktschagylian mollusc complex from limanian deposits: Viviparus pseudoachatinoides Pavl. (1*), V. romaloi Cob. (5*), Valvata sp., Caspia sp., Clessiniola sp., Aktschagylia sp., Dreissena polymorpha (Pall.) (5).

Problems

Pliocene deposits of the Novo-Sultanbekovo sections must be palynologically and palaeomagnetically studied.

References

Danukalova, G. A., 1996. Bivalves and Aktschagylian stratigraphy (in Russian). Nauka (Moscow): 132 pp. (Plate XXII – Aktschagylia subcapia Andrus, transitional form from A. subcaspia to A. ossoskovi Andrus; pp. 51, 54). Yakchemovich, V. L, 1965. Anthropogene deposits of the Southern Fore-Urals (in Russian). In: Anthropogene of the Southern Urals. Nauka (Moscow): 36–53 (description of the section – pp. 26–27).

74 Upper Pliocene and Pleistocene of the Southern Urals region

Fig. 21. The correlation between the Pliocene and Quaternary deposits exposed in the sections near Novo- Sultanbekovo 1 – section published by V.L.Yakchemovich, 1965; 2 – section I; 3 – section II; 4 – section III; 5 – section IV

and its significance for correlation of the eastern and western parts of Europe 75

Plate I. Molluscs from the Novo-Sultanbekovo sections

Fig. 1–4. Aktschagylia subcaspia (Andrus.), Aktschagyl regiostage. 1 – IG № 4/1, ×3, left valve from the outside; 2 – IG № 4/2, ×3, right valve from the outside; 3 – IG № 4/3, ×3, right valve inside; 4 – IG № 4/4, ×3, left valve inside. 1, 4 – section I, layer 9; 2, 3 – section I, layers 9–10. Fig. 5, 6, 11. Aktschagylia subcaspia (Andrus.), transitional form to A. ossoskovi (Andrus.), Aktschagyl regiostage. 5 – IG № 4/5, ×3, left valve from the outside; 6 – IG № 4/6, ×3, right valve from the outside, 5 – section I, layers 9–10; 6 – layer 6 (1960) sample 182; 11 – IG № 4/11, ×6, right valve inside, section I, layer 10. Fig. 7–10. Aktschagylia ossoskovi (Andrus.), Aktschagyl regiostage. 7 – IG № 4/7, ×3, left valve inside; 8 – IG № 4/8, ×3, right valve from the outside; 9 – IG № 4/9, ×3, right valve from the outside; 10 – IG № 4/10, ×3, right valve inside. 7, 8 – section I, layer 9; 9, 10 – section I, layers 9–10. Fig. 12, 13. Сerastoderma dombra (Andrus.), Aktschagyl regiostage. 12 – IG № 4/12, ×2,5, left valve from the outside; 13 – IG № 4/13, ×8, right valve from the outside. 12 – layer 9 (1960), sample 183; 13 – layer 6 (1960), sample 182. Fig. 14–16. Dreissena isseli Andrus., Aktschagyl regiostage. 14 – IG № 4/14, ×2,5, right valve from the outside; 15 – IG № 4/15, ×2,5, left valve from the outside; 16 – IG № 4/16, ×2,5, right valve inside. 14, 16 – section I, layer 10; 15 – section I, layer 9. 1–16 – Bashkortostan, village Novo-Sultanbekovo.

Plate II. Molluscs from the Novo-Sultanbekovo sections

Fig. 1, 2. Dreissena polymorpha (Pall.), Aktschagyl regiostage. 1 – IG № 4/17, ×2,5, left valve from the outside; 2 – IG № 4/18, ×2,5, right valve from the outside; 1, 2 – section I, layer 9. Fig. 3–6. Dreissena polymorpha (Pall.) var. angustiformis Kolesn., Aktschagyl regiostage. 3 – IG № 4/19, ×2,5, right valve from the outside; 4 – IG № 4/20, ×2,5, right valve from the outside; 5 – IG № 4/21, ×2,5, left valve from the outside; 3–6 – section I, layer 9. Fig. 6, 7. Pisidium supinum A. Schm., Aktschagyl regiostage. 6 – IG № 4/22, ×6, left valve inside, section I, layer 10; 7 – IG № 4/23, ×8, left valve from the outside, section I, layer 4. Fig. 8. Bythynia tentaculata L., Aktschagyl regiostage, IG № 4/24, ×4, view from aperture’s side, section I, layer 10.

Fig. 9. ? Scalaxis sp., Aktschagyl regiostage, IG № 4/25, ×4, view from aperture’s side, section I, layer 10. Fig. 10. Pupilla mutabilis Steklov, Aktschagyl regiostage, IG № 4/26, ×4, view from aperture’s side, section I, layer 10. Fig. 11, 12. Potomida neustruevi geometrica Bog., Aktschagyl regiostage, 11 – IG № 4/27, ×2, left valve from the outside; 12 – IG № 4/28, ×2, left valve inside; 11, 12 – section I, layer 9. 1–12 – Bashkortostan, village Novo-Sultanbekovo.

76 Upper Pliocene and Pleistocene of the Southern Urals region

Plate III. Molluscs from the Novo-Sultanbekovo sections

Fig. 1–3. Viviparus baschkiricus G. Ppv, Aktschagyl regiostage. 1 – IG № 4/29, ×2,5, view from the opposite aperture’s side; 2 – IG № 4/30, ×2,5, view from aperture’s side; 2 – IG № 4/31, ×2,5, view from aperture’s side. 1–3 – section I, layer 10. Fig. 4–11. Viviparus achatinoides Desh., Aktschagyl regiostage. 4 – IG № 4/32, ×4, view from aperture’s side; 5 – IG № 4/33, ×4, view from aperture’s side; 6 – IG № 4/34, ×4, view from aperture’s side; 7 – IG № 4/35, ×4, view from aperture’s side; 8 – IG № 4/36, ×4, view from aperture’s side; 9 – IG № 4/37, ×2,5, view from aperture’s side; 10 – IG № 4/38, ×2,5, view from aperture’s side; 11 – IG № 4/39, ×4, view from the top. 4, 9–10 – section I, layer 9; 5–8, 11 – section I, layer 10. Fig. 12–14. Viviparus tiraspolitanus (Pavlov), Aktschagyl regiostage. 12 – IG № 4/40, ×2,5, view from aperture’s side; 13 – IG № 4/41, ×2,5, view from aperture’s side; 14 – IG № 4/42, ×4, view from aperture’s side. 12–14 – section I, layer 10. 1–14 – Bashkortostan, village Novo-Sultanbekovo.

Plate IV. Molluscs from the Novo-Sultanbekovo sections

Fig. 1–3, 9. Valvata naticina Menke, Aktschagyl regiostage; ×8, view from aperture’s side. 1 – IG № 4/43, 2 – IG № 4/44, 3 – IG № 4/45, 9 – IG № 4/51. 1 – section I, layer 4; 2, 3 – section I, layer 9; 9 – section I, layer 10. Fig. 4, 5. Valvata piscinalis Müll., Aktschagyl regiostage; ×8. 4 – IG № 4/46, view from aperture’s side; 5 – IG № 4/47, вид сбоку. 4, 5 – section I, layer 9, Fig. 6, 7. Valvata piscinalis antiqua Sow., Aktschagyl regiostage; ×8. 6 – IG № 4/48, view from aperture’s side; 7 – IG № 4/49, вид со стороны, обратной устью. 6, 7 – section I, layer 9. Fig. 8, 10. Lithoglyphus acutus Cob., Aktschagyl regiostage; ×8, view from aperture’s side. 8 – IG № 4/50; layer 10 (1960); 10 – IG № 4/52; section I, layer 9. Fig. 11, 12. Clessiniola julaevi G. Ppv., Aktschagyl regiostage; ×10, view from aperture’s side. 11 – IG № 4/53, 12 – IG № 4/54. 11, 12 – section I, layer 9. Fig. 13. Caspiella roseni G. Ppv. (?), Aktschagyl regiostage. IG № 4/55, ×10, view from aperture’s side; section I, layer 6. 1–13 – Bashkortostan, village Novo-Sultanbekovo.

and its significance for correlation of the eastern and western parts of Europe 77

THE BAZITAMAK SECTION

Location The Bazitamak section is located on the left bank of the river Baza (the left tributary of the river Belaya) near the village Bazitamak (Ilishevo Region, Bashkortostan Republic) (Fig. 1). The top of the terrace is approximately at 88 m above sea level and its base is at 61 m. The entire thickness of terrace deposits is 17 m.

History In 1967 A.V. Sydnev described the section for the first time during the geological mapping of the area. In 1980–83 this locality was studied by V.L. Yakchemovich, A.V. Sydnev, G.A. Danukalova, A.G. Yakovlev, P.I. Dorofeev (St. Petersburg) and F.Yu. Velichkevich (Minsk). Pollen and spores were studied by L.I.Alimbekova (Ufa), carpological remains by P.I. Dorofeev (St. Petersburg) and F.Yu. Velichkevich (Minsk). Ostracods were investigated by M.G. Popova-Lvova (Ufa), mollusks by G.A. Danukalova (Ufa) and small mammals by A.G. Yakovlev (Ufa). Palaeomagnetical investigations were done by F.I. Suleimanova (Ufa) (Yakchemovich et al., 1987).

Description of the section The following layers were identified starting from the edge of the terrace (Fig. 22). Quaternary Holocene (subaerial deposits – pd) Thickness, m 1. Soil (chernozem), perforated by roots of plant…………………………………………………0,6–0,8

Pleistocene Lower Neopleistocene Oka Horizon (?)

(lacustrine-slope, periglacial deposits – ld pgl) 2. Light brown silt macroporous loam with black manganese precipitation………………………..3,8–4 3. Greyish-brown massive loam with gravel and sandy lenses in the lower part……………………..0,8

Chui-Atasevo Horizon, Middle subhorizon (slope-alluvial periglacial deposits – d, a (pgl)) 4. Alternation of horizontally bedded layers of loams, gravel and sand (thickness of interbeds is 5– 20 cm)…………………………………………………………………………………………………..1

Chui-Atasevo Horizon, Lower subhorizon (alluvial deposits – a) 5. Gravel with small rounded pebbles of flint and quartz with a matrix of loam. Molluscs occur: Limnaea stagnalis L. (7), Galba truncatula Müll. (1), Planorbis planorbis L. (1), Coretus corneus L. (2), Paraspira

78 Upper Pliocene and Pleistocene of the Southern Urals region spirorbis L. (5), Gyraulus laevis Alder (30), Hippeutis riparius Westler (2), Valvata piscinalis antiqua Sow. (2), V. piscinalis Müll. (10), V. pulchella Müll. (14), Viviparus sp. (30), Bithynia tentaculata L. (4), B. aff. leachi (Schep.) (1), Lithoglyphus naticoides Ferus. (3), Clessiniola julaevi G. Ppv (15), Unionidae (2 fragments), Corbicula fluminalis Müll. (1), Pisidium amnicum Müll. (6), P. aff. cosertanum Poli (4), Dreissena polymorpha (Pall.) (35), ? Scalaxis sp. (1), Succinea pfeifferi Rossm. (16), Pupilla muscorum L. (10), Vallonia costata Müll. (33), Vitrea crystallina Müll. (3), operculum (14). Small mammal: Lagurini gen. (4), Eolagurus sp. (1), Mimomys (Cromeromys) ex gr. intermedius Newton (1) and bones of frogs were found……………………………………………………………………………………………..0,8

Erosional base / Sedimentary break.

Fig. 22. Pliocene – Pleistocene deposits of the Bazitamak section (by G.A. Danukalova and A.G. Yakovlev, 1982– 1983). Legend: 1 – soil; 2 – loam; 3 – dense loam; 4 – silt; 5 – clay; 6 – sand; 7 – gravel; 8 – siderit concretions; 9 – iron-staining; 10 – carbonatization; 11 – molluscs shells; 12 – organic remains; 13 – number of the layer; 14 – boundaries of the lithological strata; 15 – small mammal remains; 16 – hillside. and its significance for correlation of the eastern and western parts of Europe 79

Neogene Upper Pliocene Lower Aktschagyl Kumurly suite (lacustrine, alluvial deposits – l, a) 6. Light yellowish-brown bedded silty clay. Molluscs were collected in the upper part of the layer: Limnaea stagnalis L. (1), Radix cf. ovata Drap. (18 juv.), Planorbis planorbis L. (20), Coretus corneus L. (1), Spiralina vortex L. (2), Gyraulus laevis Alder (41), Acrolox lacustris L. (4), Viviparus sp. (cf. V. viviparus) (1 fragment + 2 juv.), Bithynia tentaculata L. (28 + 35 juv.), B. aff. leachi (Schepp.) (6), Valvata piscinalis Müll. (14), V. pulchella Müll. (233), Dreissena polymorpha (Pall.) (76), operculum (91). In the lower part of the layer: Bithynia tentaculata L. (10), Valvata piscinalis Müll. (6), V. pulchella Müll. (7), Dreissena polymorpha (Pall.) (1), operculum (56). Ostracods were found at a depth 7,5 m (sample 14): Ilyocypris bradyi Sars (2), I. manasensis Mand. (2), Cyclocypris laevis (O. Müll.) (1), Cypria candonaeformis (Schw.) (1), C. pseudoarma M. Popova (1), juvenile Candonen (72); and at a depth of 8,5 m (sample 17): Ilyocypris bradyi Sars (5), Cypria pseudoarma M. Popova (5), Candona combibo Liv. (5), C. aff. rostrata Br. et Norm. (5), juvenile Candonen (229), Eucypris famosa Schn. (1) and Metacypris cordata Br. et Roberts. (6)…………………………………………………………………………………………….1,3 7. Light grey silty clay with large shells of Gyraulus laevis Alder (1), Hippeutis complanatus L. (2), Viviparus sp. (7 fragments), Bithynia tentaculata L. (31), Valvata piscinalis Müll. (7), V. pulchella Müll. (17), Pisidium amnicum Müll. (7), operculum (127) and ostracods (depth 8,9 m, sample 18) Ilyocypris aff. bella Scharap. (2), Cypria pseudoarma M. Popova. (1), juvenile Candonen (11)……………………0,5 8. Light brown silty clay with large (10 × 6 × 4 cm) and small (1–1,5 cm) siderite concretions in the lower part of the layer. Ostracods were found at a depth of 9,1 m (sample 19): Ilyocypris bradyi Sars (2), Cyclocypris laevis (O. Müll.) (1), Cypria pseudoarma M. Popova (1), juvenile Candonen (36) and Metacypris cordata Br. et Roberts. (2)………………………………………………………………..0,5 9. Dark grey iron-stained clay with shells of freshwater molluscs: Planorbis planorbis L. (1 fragment), Gyraulus laevis Alder. (2), Viviparus sp. (fragment), Bithynia tentaculata L. (20), B. vucatinovici Brus. (2), Bithynia sp. (fragment), Valvata pulchella Müll. (90), Valvata sp. (fragment), operculum (45) and ostracods at the depth 9,6 m (sample 21): juvenile Candonen (3)…………………………………………..0,2–0,3 10. Brownish-grey bedded silt with large siderite concretions (15×10×4, 7×6×3 cm) and interbeds of silt brownish-grey clay in the lower part of the layer. Molluscs were found in the lower part of this layer: Planorbis planorbis L. (2), Coretus corneus L. (2), Bithynia tentaculata L. (59), Valvata piscinalis Müll. (51), V. pulchella Müll. (46), Dreissena polymorpha (Pall.) (1), Pisidium amnicum Müll. (1), operculum (25). Ostracods were found at the depth 10 m (sample 22): Ilyocypris bradyi Sars (3), I. gibba (Ramd.) (1), Cyclocypris laevis (O. Müll.) (2), Cypria candonaeformis (Schw.) (2), C. pseudoarma M. Popova (2), juvenile Candonen (197); at the depth 11 m (sample 24): juvenile Candonen (4); at the depth 11,5 m (sample 25): juvenile Candonen (5)…………………………………………………………………...2,1 Sedimentary break. Karlaman Suite (lacustrine, alluvial deposits – l, a) 11. Black iron-stained clay with organic remains and numerous shells: Limnaea stagnalis L. (1), Planorbis planorbis L. (1), Gyraulus laevis Alder (41), Hippeutis riparius Westler (1), Viviparus mangikiani V. Bog. (252), V. baschkiricus G. Ppv. (4), Viviparus sp. (35), Bithynia tentaculata L. (768), B. vucotinovici Brus. (120), B. aff. leachi (Schepp.) (2), Valvata piscinalis Müll. (55), V. naticina Menke (82), Unionidae

80 Upper Pliocene and Pleistocene of the Southern Urals region

(2 fragments), Dreissena polymorpha (Pall.) (7), Pisidium amnicum Müll. (20), operculum (191) and ostracods (depth 12 m, sample 26) Ilyocypris inermis Kauf. (4), Cypria pseudoarma M. Popova (1), juvenile Candonen (4)…………………………………………………………………………….0,8–0,9 12. Light greyish-brown silt with rare large siderite concretions (diameter 12 cm). A iron-stained brown interbed (thickness 6 cm) is located in the middle part of the layer. Ostracods are rare, they came from a depth of 12,8 m (juvenil Candona (1)) and from a depth of 13,2 m (juvenile Candonen (5))……...0,7 13. Light brown iron-stained clay with ostracods (at a depth of 13,5 m): Ilyocypris bradyi Sars (1), Cyclocypris laevis (O. Müll.) (4), Cypria pseudoarma M. Popova (4), juvenile Candonen...... 0,3 14. Black bedded iron-stained clay with organic remains. Ostracods were found at a depth of 13,9 m: Ilyocypris manasensis Mand. (13), Cyclocypris laevis (O. Müll.) (25), Cypria pseudoarma M. Popova (81) and juvenile Candonen (62); at a depth of 14,3 m: Ilyocypris manasensis Mand. (1), Cyclocypris laevis (O. Müll.) (1), Cypria pseudoarma M. Popova (18) and juvenile Candonen (6); at a depth of 14,8 m: Cypria pseudoarma M. Popova (17) and juvenile Candonen (13)……………………………………1,3 15. Brown clay with pochets of limonite (diameter is 1–5 cm)……………………………………….0,2 16. Light brownish-grey iron-stained clay……………………………………………………………..0,5 17. Greenish-grey fine sand…………………………………………………………………………...0,2 18. Grey iron-stained clay, with large siderite concretions. The observed thickness is…………………1 Base of the section.

Vegetation A Picea taiga forests with Pinus, Tsuga, Abies a low percentage of Ulmus, Tilia, Alnus and Quercus grew in the region during deposition of the Karlaman Suite (Fig. 23). A Picea taiga forests with Pinus, Tsuga, Abies a low percentage of Ulmus, Tilia, Alnus and Quercus grew in the region during deposition of the Karlaman Suite (the carpological data, Tabl. 13). This type of vegetation that occurred in the surrounding of the village Bazitamak is similar to the Symbugino flora from the upper part of the Karlaman layers. This association of plants were present in the Fore-Urals at the end of the Karlaman period. The composition of the Kumurly plant community, formed during the first part of the Kumurly period, is like the Karlaman one. Only the proportion of Picea is higher. The Karlaman and Kumurly floral associations are of the Late Kinel type. Pleistocene deposits in the Bazitamak section yielded only a low number of isolated pollen.

Ostracods Two ostracod complexes were described from the Lower Aktschagylian deposits of the section Bazitamak (Tabl. 14). The Karlaman complex (layers 11–14): Ilyocypris bradyi Sars, I. manasensis Mand., Cyclocypris laevis (O. Müll.), Cypria pseudoarma M.Popova ets. It became colder to the end of the Karlaman period. The Kumurly complex (layers 6–10). The composition of this complex was similar to the Karlaman complex: Ilyocypris, Cypria, Candona, Eucypris ets. Ilyocypris gibba (Ramd.), Metacypris cordata (Br. et Rob.), Cypria candonaeformis (Schw.), Candona aff. rostrata Br. et Norm., C. combibo Liv. and Eucypris famosa Schn. were not found in the Karlaman layers. and its significance for correlation of the eastern and western parts of Europe 81

Fig. 23. The Bazitamak section and a pollen diagram (by V.L.Yakchemovich, A.V. Sydnev, G.A. Danukalova, A.G. Yakovlev, L.I. Alimbekova). Legend see Fig. 5.

82 Upper Pliocene and Pleistocene of the Southern Urals region

Table 13. Botanical remains of the Karlaman deposits, the section Bazitamak (by P.I. Dorofeev)

Lower Aktschagyl, Karlaman Suite Species layer 11 layer 14 1 2 3 1,2, numerous Chara sp. oospores Bryales gen. 3 branches Salvinia tuberculata Nikit. numerous numerous Salvinia glabra Nikit. numerous Azolla pseudopinnata Nikit. 20 megaspores Selaginella pliocenica Dorof. 1 megaspore Picea sp. 1,5 seeds Juniperus sp. 1 Sparganium noduliferum C. et E. Reid. 16 S. cf. neglectum Beeby 32 fruits S. ex gr. microcarpum (Neum.) Čelak. 4 Typha lipetskiana Dorof. 1 Typha pliocenica Dorof. 1 seed Typha sp. 2 30 tegmens Potamogeton ex gr. perfoliatus L. numerous P. pectinatus L. 3 endocarps P. cf. borysthenicus Dorof. numerous P. cf. acutifolius Link. numerous P. cf. trichoides Cham. et Schlecht. numerous P. coloratus Vahl numerous P. tataricus Dorof. et Weliczk. numerous Potamogeton sp. numerous Najas major-pliocenica Dorof. numerous Caulinia reticulata Dorof. numerous C. pliocenica Dorof. numerous 53 seeds C. cf. calceolata C. et E. Reid. 14 seeds C. lanceolata C. et E.Reid. numerous C. scrobiculata Dorof. numerous Сaldesia cylindrica (E.Reid.) Dorof. numerous Alisma tennicarpa Dorof. numerous Alisma sp. 15 Sagittaria cf. sagettifolia L. numerous Butomus cf. umbellatus L. 3 2 seeds Stratiotes intermedius (Hartr) Chandl. 3 5 seeds Hydrocharis morsusranae L. 9 tegmens Cyperus pseudoglomeratus Dorof. 60 C. ex gr. glomeratus L. 5 fruits Scirpus cf. komarovii Roshev. numerous numerous S. cf. melanospermus C. A. Mey numerous S. cf. tertiarius Dorof. numerous S. cf. desonlavii Kresz. 34 S. cf. atrovirens Ait. 1 S. tricantis Dorof. numerous Eleocharis cf. palustris (L.) R. Br. 60 E. pseudoovata Dorof. 24 3 fruits E. reticulata Dorof. 29 and its significance for correlation of the eastern and western parts of Europe 83

1 2 3 Carex ex gr. panciflora Lightf. 24 Carex sp. numerous numerous Lemna cf. minor L. 1 Aracispermum cf. compressum Dorof. 5 Leitneria sp. fragment Araceae (Epipremnum ?) 2 Betula alba L. 2 Betula sp. 2 Alnus sp. 1 Morus tanaitica Dorof. 1,5 9 Chenopodium rubrum L. 5 15 C. album L. 10 Rumex cf. maritimum L. numerous 1 Thlaspi arvense L. 2 Pseudoeuryale ex gr. nodulosa C. et Reid. 5 P. cf. tatarica Dorof. et Kip. 13 Polygonum pliocenicum L. numerous numerous P. cf. dumetorum L. 1 2 P. cf. bistorta L. 3 P. ex gr. aviculare L. 13 P. cf. maritimum L. 38 Urtica pliocenica Dorof. 5 U. cf. dioica L. numerous Urtica sp. numerous Pilea tatarica Dorof. 1 P. pusilla Dorof. 12 Ceratophyllum ex gr. demersum L. 12 Ranunculus pseudofeammulus Dorof. 15 R. tanaiticus Dorof. 4 R. sceleratoides Nikit. numerous numerous Ranunculus sp. 1 Thalictrum sp. 1,5 Aldrovanda eleanorae Nikit. 10 Tilia ex gr. tomentosa Moench 1 Paliurus sp. 1 Potentilla pliocenica E. Reid. 25 Potentilla sp. 11 Decodon ex gr. globosus (L. et E. Reid) Nikit. numerous numerous Hypericum tertiaerum Nikit. 34 25 H. lucens Dorof. 38 H. ex gr. coriaceum Nikit. numerous 4 Hypericum sp. numerous Myriophyllum cf. ussuriensis Kom. 13 M. praespicatum Nikit. 1 M. cf. verticillatum L. 1 Myriophyllum sp. numerous Hippuris parvicarpa Dorof. numerous Hippuris sp. 1 Lysimachia heterosperma Dorof. 7 Stachys sp. 3 Stachys palustre L. 1

84 Upper Pliocene and Pleistocene of the Southern Urals region

1 2 3 Lycopus sp. 4 fruits, 25 nuts numerous Teucrium cf. polium L. 3 Mentha сf. pulegium L. 3 M. arvensis L. 6 Mentha sp. 3 Verbena (?) sp. 1 Thymus sp. 6 Physalis alkekengi L. 2 Physalis cf. alkekengi L. 5 Sumbucus cf. racemosa L. 5 S. cf. nigra L. 1 Carnifoliaceae 19 Trichosanthes fragilis E. Reid. 0,5 1 Taraxacum tanaiticum Dorof. 1 Valerianella sp. numerous Eupatorium cannabinum L. fragment fragment Carduus acanthoides L. 17 Carpolithus sp. (? Hydrilla) numerous Legend:

0,5–5 6–15 16–30 31–60 numerous specimens specimens specimens specimens specimens

Table 14. The stratigraphical distribution of the ostracods in the section Bazitamak

Neogene Upper Pliocene Species Aktschagyl Lower Aktschagyl Karlaman Suite Kumurly Suite Ilyocypris bradyi Sars 1 12 I. manasensis Mand. 14 2 I. gibba (Ramd.) 1 I. inermis Kauf. 4 Ilyocypris aff. bella Scharap. 2 Cyclocypris laevis (O. Müll.) 30 4 Cypria candonaeformis (Schw.) 3 C. pseudoarma M.Popova 121 10 Candona combibo Liv. 5 C. aff. rostrata Br. et Roberts. 5 juvenile Candonen 200 557 Eucypris famosa Schn. 1 Metacypris cordata Br. et Roberts. 8 Legend: 1–5 6–15 16–30 > 100

specimens specimens specimens specimens and its significance for correlation of the eastern and western parts of Europe 85

Eucypris famosa, Candona combibo, Candona aff. rostrata are cold-resistant species characteristic for the Middle Aktschagyl assemblages in the territory of the Fore-Urals. These species indicate the onset of a period with cold climatic conditions.

Molluscs (Tabl. 15, Plates V–VI) Freshwater molluscs of the Karlaman Complex (layer 11): Limnaea stagnalis L. (1), Planorbis planorbis L. (1), Gyraulus laevis Alder (41), Hippeutis complanatus L. (1), Viviparus mangikiani V. Bog. (252), V. baschkiricus G. Ppv. (4), Viviparus sp. (35), Bithynia tentaculata L. (768), B. vucotinovici Brus. (120), B. aff. leachi (Schepp.) (2), Valvata piscinalis Müll. (55), V. naticina Menke (82), Unionidae (2 fragments), Dreissena polymorpha Pall. (7), Pisidium amnicum Müll. (20), operculum (191). The species composition of the Kumurly Complex (layers 6–10) is similar to the one of the Karlaman Complex: Limnaea stagnalis L. (1), Radix cf. ovata Drap. (18 juv.), Planorbis planorbis L. (21), Coretus corneus L. (1), Spiralina vortex L. (2), Gyraulus laevis Alder (44), Hippeutis complanatus L. (2), Acrolox lacustris L. (4), Viviparus sp. (cf. V. viviparus) (7 fragments + 2 juv.), Bithynia tentaculata L. (89 + 35 juv.), B. aff. leachi (Schepp.) (6), B. vucotinovici Brus. (2), Bithynia sp. (fragment), Valvata piscinalis Müll. (27), V. pulchella Müll. (347), Valvata sp. (fragment), Dreissena polymorpha (Pall.) (77), Pisidium amnicum Müll. (7), operculum (319).

Lower Neopleistocene Complex: Limnaea stagnalis L. (7), Galba truncatula Müll. (1), Planorbis planorbis L. (1), Coretus corneus L. (2), Paraspira spirorbis L. (5), Gyraulus laevis Alder (30), Hippeutis riparius Westler (2), Valvata piscinalis antiqua Sow. (2), V. piscinalis Müll. (10), V. pulchella Müll. (14), Viviparus sp. (30), Bithynia tentaculata L. (4), B. aff. leachi (Schep.) (1), Lithoglyphus naticoides Ferus. (3), Clessiniola julaevi G. Ppv (15), Unionidae (2 fragments), Corbicula fluminalis Müll. (1), Pisidium amnicum Müll. (6), P. aff. cosertanum Poli (4), Dreissena polymorpha (Pall.) (35), ? Scalaxis sp. (1), Succinea pfeifferi Rossm. (16), Pupilla muscorum L. (10), Vallonia costata Müll. (33), Vitrea crystallina Müll. (3), operculum (14). Shells of Clessiniola julaevi G. Ppv. were redeposited from the Aktschagylian deposits.

Plate V. Mollusks from the Section Bazitamak Fig. 1–11. Viviparus mangikiani Bog., Lower Aktschagyl, Karlaman Suite. 1–11 – IG № 2/1–11, ×2, age variability of the shell form, apertural view; Bashkortostan, Bazitamak, layer 11. Fig. 12–15. Viviparus baschkiricus G. Ppv., Lower Aktschagyl, Karlaman Suite. 12–15 – IG № 2/12–15, ×2, age variability of the shell form, apertural view; Bashkortostan, Bazitamak, layer 11.

Plate VI. Mollusks from the Section Bazitamak Fig. 1, 3. Bithynia vucotinovici Brus., Lower Aktschagyl, Karlaman Suite. 1, 3 – IG № 2/16, 2/18, ×3,5, apertural view. Fig. 2, 4. Bithynia ex gr. tentaculata-vucatinovici, Lower Aktschagyl, Karlaman Suite. 2 – IG № 2/17, 4 – IG № 2/19, ×4, apertural view. Fig. 5. Bithynia tentaculata L., Lower Aktschagyl, Karlaman Suite. 6 – IG № 2/20, ×4, apertural view. Fig. 6. Bithynia cf. tentaculata L., Lower Aktschagyl, Karlaman Suite. 6 – IG № 2/21, ×4, apertural view. Fig. 7. Valvata pulchella Studer., Lower Aktschagyl, Karlaman Suite. 7 – IG № 2/22, ×10, а – apertural view; b – view from the top, c – umbonal view. 1–7 – Bashkortostan, Bazitamak, layer 11.

86 Upper Pliocene and Pleistocene of the Southern Urals region

Table 15. The stratigraphical distribution of molluscs in the section Bazitamak

Neogene Quaternary Upper Pliocene Pleistocene Species Aktschagyl Neopleistocene Lower Aktschagyl Lower Neopleistocene Karlaman Suite Kumurly Suite Chui-Atasevo Horizon Succinea oblonga Drap. 6 S. pfeifferi Rossm. 16 Vitrea crystallina Müll. 3 ? Scalaxis sp. 1 Pupilla muscorum L. 10 Vallonia costata Müll. 33 Limnaea stagnalis L. 1 1 7 Radix ovata Drap. 18 Galba truncatula Müll. 1 Planorbis planorbis L. 1 21 1 Paraspira spirorbis L. 5 Spiralina vortex L. 2 Gyraulus laevis Alder. 3 44 30 Coretus corneus L. 4 1 2 Hippeutis complanatus L. 2 H. riparius Westler 1 2 Acrolox lacustris L. 4 Bithynia tentaculata L. 768 182 4 B. vucatinovici Brus. 120 2 B. aff. leachi (Schep.) 2 6 1 Bithynia sp. 198 numerous operculum 191 319 14 Valvata pulchella Müll. 22 347 14 V. piscinalis Müll. 55 27 10 V. piscinalis antiqua Sow. 29 19 2 V. naticina Menke 82 Valvata sp. numerous Lithoglyphus naticoides Ferus. 3 Clessiniola julaevi G. Ppv. 15 Viviparus baschkiricus G. Ppv. 4 V. mangikiani V. Bog. 252 Viviparus sp. 35 9 30 Dreissena polymorpha (Pall.) 7 77 35 Unionidae 2 2 P. amnicum Müll. 20 7 6 P. cosertanum Poli 4 Corbicula fluminalis Müll. 1 Legend: 1–10 11–20 21–30 31–50 > 50 specimens specimens specimens specimens specimens

and its significance for correlation of the eastern and western parts of Europe 87

Palaeomagnetic investigations

The palaeomagnetic investigations were carried out by F.I. Suleimanova (1987, 1992) (Fig. 24).

Fig. 24. The Bazitamak palaeomagnetic section (by F.I. Suleimanova, G.A. Danukalova and A.G. Yakovlev, 1987). Legend see Fig. 10.

88 Upper Pliocene and Pleistocene of the Southern Urals region

Seventeen meters of deposits were sampled in detail; 49 stratigraphical levels are investigated (28 with a Pleistocene age, 21 with a Pliocene age) F. I. Suleimanova found in the Pleistocene deposits (correlated to the Brunhes Epoch) two parts with magnetic anomalies separated by a part with a normally magnetic signal. The author called this anomaly “Chui-Atasevo” and correlated it with the Elunino–5 Event with an age of 470 ka. The magnetical polarity of Pliocene deposits is mainly normal; these deposits are correlated to the Gauss palaeomagnetic Epoch. F. I. Suleimanova found in the Pliocene part of the sections two minor fluctuations and correlates these to the Kaena and Mammoth Events.

References

Yakchemovich, V. L, Nemkova, V. K., Sydnev, A. V., Suleimanova, F. I., Khabibullina, G. A., Sherbakova, T. I. & Yakovlev, A. G., 1987. Pleistocene of the Fore-Urals (in Russian). Nauka (Moscow): 113 pp. (Results of the palaeomagnetic investigations – pp. 71–73). Yakchemovich, V. L, Danukalova, G. A. & Yakovlev, A. G., 1998. Mollusks and small mammals from Pliocene deposits of the Middle Volga region, Russia. In: Mededelingen Nederlands Instituut voor Toegepaste Geowetenschappen TNO, 60: 375–416 (Viviparus mangikiani V. Bog., V. bashkiricus G. Ppv. – plate 8, pp. 385, 386).

and its significance for correlation of the eastern and western parts of Europe 89

THE CHUI-ATASEVO SECTIONS

Location

The sections are located on the left bank of the river Baza near the village Chui-Atasevo (Ilishevo Region, Bashkortostan Republic) (Fig. 1).

History

In 1876 Mr. Kessler bought the sample with fish impressions which was found by peasant Pavel Porogin (the village Chagandy) and sent it to the Geological Department of the Kazan State University. F.N. Chernyshev (1887) was the first who described deposits with Pliocene fish impressions exposed near the village Chui-Atasevo. In 1923 G.V. Vakhrushev collected these Pliocene fish impressions (1960). Fish impressions were determined by L.S. Berg as Clupeidae. In 1956 A.P. Rozhdensvensky and I.P. Varlamov described alluvial deposits which are situated above the Pliocene sediments and collected molluscs. A.G. Eberzin identified the molluscs as and referred them to the Lower Pleistocene. V.L. Yakchemovich visited the section in 1960 and collected molluscs (identified by G.I. Popov). V.P. Sukhov collected small mammal remains from these deposits in 1965 and 1968–1969 (Sukhov, 1976). In 1982 V.L. Yakchemovich, G.A. Danukalova, A.G. Yakovlev, V.P. Sukhov and F.I. Suleimanova cleaned, described and sampled five sections on the left bank of the river Baza. They collected small mammal remains and molluscs (Fig. 25–27). A.G. Yakovlev took more small mammal samples in 1985. The small mammal remains were identified by A.G. Yakovlev and V.P. Sukhov (Ufa), the molluscs by G.A. Danukalova (Ufa), the ostracods by M.G. Popova-Lvova (Ufa) and the pollen and spores by V.K. Nemkova and L.I. Alimbekova (Ufa). Palaeomagnetical investigations were done by F.I. Suleimanova (Ufa).

Description of the sections

The terrace deposits on the left bank of the river Baza were studied from the village Chui-Atasevo to the mouth of the river (Fig. 28). The following layers were described.

Section I

The section is located in the gully downstream of the village Chui-Atasevo. The top of the terrace is approximately at 83 m above sea level and its base is at 62 m. The thickness of terrace deposits is approximately 21 m.

Quaternary

Holocene – Q4

(subaerial deposits – pd) Thickness, m 1. Soil (chernozem) fine a blocky, perforated by roots of plants…………………………………….. 0,5

90 Upper Pliocene and Pleistocene of the Southern Urals region

Pleistocene Middle Neopleistocene 2 Kaluga Horizon – Q2 (slope periglacial deposits – ld(pgl)) 2. Dark brown dense loam……………………………………………………………………………..0,6 3. Yellowish-brown silty loam………………………………………………………………………...1,2

1 Likhvin Horizon – Q2

(subaerial deposits – pdl) 4. Dark grey sandy loam……………………………………………………………………………... 0,3 5. Traces of the soil. Light grey sandy loam with humic wedges (the length is 0,8 m)……………….0,8

Lower Neopleistocene

Oka Horizon – Q1 ok (lacustrine deposits – l) 6. Yellowish-brown iron-stained silt……………………………………………………………...1,2–1,5 7. Yellowish-brown horizontally bedded silt with interbeds of fine sand…………………………….1,2

Chui-Atasevo Horizon – Q1 ča3 (alluvial deposits – a (rf, pt)) 8. Grey, yellowish-grey poorly sorted cross-bedded sand with interbeds and lenses of gravel with freshwater molluscs (Unio sp.). Remains of small mammals were also found in these deposits: Sorex sp. (4), Lepus sp. (1), Ochotona sp. (24), Citellus sp. (10), Clethrionomys sp. (5), Prolagurus (Prolagurus) cf. posterius Zazhigin (6), Lagurus trasiens Janossy (13), Lagurini gen. (66), Mimomys (Microtomys) pusillus Mehely (3), Mimomys (Gromeromys) intermedius Newton (23), Mimomys sp. (108), Arvicola mosbachensis Schmidtgen (15), Allophajomys pliocaenicus Kormos (1), Microtus (Pitymys) hintoni- gregaloides (30), Microtus (Stenocranius) gregalis Pall. (5), Microtus ex gr. arvalis Pall. (19), Microtus (Microtus) oeconomus Pall. (14), Microtus sp. (368)…………………………………………………3,5 Sedimentary break.

Chui-Atasevo Horizon – Q1 ča1 (alluvial deposits – a (rf)) 9. Grey iron-stained horizontally bedded gravel with interbeds of pebbles and pebly sand, with shells of Viviparus sp. The following small mammals were found: Clethrionomys sp. (2), Prolagurus (Prolagurus) cf. posterius Zazhigin (2), Lagurini gen. (3), Mimomys (Gromeromys) ex gr. intermedius Newton (10), Microtus (Pitymys) hintoni-gregaloides (1), Microtus ex gr. arvalis Pall. (2)………………………..1,5 Erosional base/Sedimentary break. Neogene Middle Aktschagyl (limanian deposits – lm) 10. Blueish-grey dense clay. The upper 30 cm of this bed is yellowish-brown in colour. The observed thickness is……………………………………………………………………………………………. 10

and its significance for correlation of the eastern and western parts of Europe 91

Section II

The section located 300 m downstream of section I on the left bank of the valley near the spring at the upper boundary of Pliocene clay. The following deposits occur under the lower soil (similar to layer 5, section I).

Quaternary Pleistocene Middle Neopleistocene 1 Likhvin Horizon – Q2

(subaerial deposits – pd) Thickness, m 1. Dark brown humic silty soil………………………………………………………………………...0,6 2. White carbonaceous illuvial bed……………………………………………………………….0,3–0,4

Lower Neopleistocene

Oka Horizon – Q1 ok (lacustrine deposits – l) 3. Brown silty thin-bedded clay……………………………………………………………………….1,1

Chui-Atasevo Horizon – Q1 ča3 (alluvial deposits – a (rf, pt)) 4. Brownish-grey polimictic horizontally-bedded sand with in lower part pebbles (thickness of interbed is 40 cm)……………………………………………………………………………………………….1,2 5. Gravel in brown pebbly clayey sand (alluvium formed in gullies)…………………………………0,7

Erosional base / Sedimentary break.

Chui-Atasevo Horizon – Q1 ča1 (alluvial deposits – a (rf, pt)) a (pt) 6. Brownish-grey polymictic fine clayey sand with pebble lenses……………………………..1,4 a (pt) 7. Alternation of layers with greyish-brown iron-stained sands (thickness is 0,5–2 cm) and layers of brown clayey silt……………………………………………………………………………………0,3 a (rf) 8. Horizontally-bedded fine-grained gravels with and alternation of brownish-grey and yellow iron-stained interbeds (thickness is 3–10 cm)…………………………………………………………1,4 9. Yellow iron-stained bedded fine-grained gravels with black manganese interbeds………………0,25 10. Bedded fine-grained gravels with an alternation of brownish-grey (thickness is 4–10 cm) and yellow iron-stained (thickness is 1–7 cm) interbeds…………………………………………………………..0,3 11. Brownish-grey fine-grained gravels in brownish-grey polymictic sands…………………………1,6

Erosional base / Sedimentary break.

92 Upper Pliocene and Pleistocene of the Southern Urals region

Neogene Middle Aktschagyl (limanian deposits – lm) 12. Dark grey clay. The upper part of the layer is iron-stained and yellow in colour. The observed thickness is………………………………………………………………………………………………2

Section III Section III is 7–10 m downstream from the section II near the spring. The following layers can be observed starting from the edge of the terrace. Quaternary

Holocene – Q4

(subaerial deposits – pd) Thickness, m pd 1. Soil (chernozem) fine a blocky, perforated by roots of plants……………………………...0,7–0,8 ld 2. Dark brown dense loam with humic wedges (the length is 0,2 m)………………………...0,2–0,25 Pleistocene Middle Neopleistocene

Moscow Horizon – Q2 m (periglacial slope deposits – ld, pd (pgl)) ld 3. Brown dense loam with in the upper part carbonaceous precipitations and concretions (diameter is 2 cm) in the upper part………………………………………………………………………………...1,2 pd 4. Dark greyish-brown silty loam (soil)……………………………………………………………1,2 ld 5. Brownish-yellow macroporous loam with manganese precipitation…………………………….1,7

3 Chekalino Horizon – Q2 (subaerial deposits – pd(pgl)) 6. Dark greyish-brown loam (soil) with rare manganese and carbonaceous precipitation………………1

2 Kaluga Horizon – Q2 (periglacial deposits – ld(pgl)) 7. Multi-coloured (light grey, brown, yellow iron-stained) loam with manganese precipitation……..1,2 8. Brown macroporous loam with manganese and rare carbonaceous precipitation………………….1,5 9. Greyish-brown loam………………………………………………………………………………...1,4

1 Likhvin Horizon – Q2

(subaerial deposits – pd) 10. Black soil with carbonaceous precipitation………………………………………………………..1,5 and its significance for correlation of the eastern and western parts of Europe 93

Lower Neopleistocene

Oka Horizon – Q1 ok (lacustrine deposits – l) 11. Brownish-grey silt with humus and carbonate…………………………………………………….1,2

Chui-Atasevo Horizon – Q1 ča1 (alluvial deposits – a (rf, pt)) a (pt) 12. Greyish-brown fine clayey sand partly iron-stained………………………………………0,65 a (pt) 13. Brownish-grey polymictic cross-bedded (angle is 15°) middle-, and fine sands with a few mammalian remains: Ochotona sp. (1), Mimomys (Сromeromys) intermedius Newton (2) and Microtus sp. (1)……………………………………………………………………………………………...0,5–0,6 al (rf) 14. Gravels in greyish-brown polymictic sands with Pisidium, Planorbis, Sphaerium and fragments of Unio sp…………………………………………………………………………………………….0,05 15. Gravelly sands with shells of freshwater molluscs and mammalian remains: Ochotona sp. (2), Citellus sp. (2), Sicista sp. (1), Myospalax sp. (1), Clethrionomys sp. (6), Lagurus transiens Janossy (1), Mimomys (Cromeromys) intermedius Newton (24), Microtus (Pitymys) hintoni-gregaloides (2), Microtus (Stenogranius) gregalis Pall. (2), Microtus ex gr. arvalis Pall. (4), Microtus sp. (71)…………...0,2–0,3 The following molluscs from layers 14–15 were identified: Unio sp., Sphaerium rivicola Lam. (28), Pisidium amnicum Müll. (17), Planorbis planorbis L. (22), Paraspira spirorbis L. (13), Gyraulus laevis Alder (10), Bithynia tentaculata L. (5), Lithoglyphus sp. (1), L. decipiens oblongus G. Ppv. (41), Valvata pulchella Müll. (5), V. piscinalis Müll (10), V. piscinalis antiqua Sow. (2), V. naticina Menke (16), Viviparus sp. (1), V. baschkiricus G. Ppv. (?) (8), Stagnicola palustris L. (34), Succinea oblonga Drap. (18), Vallonia pulchella Müll. (7), Vallonia costata Müll. (2), Pupilla muscorum L. (4), Zenobiella rubiginosa A. Schm. (5) and Cochlicopa lubrica columna Cles. (2). 16. Cross bedded gravels with coarse, light yellow sands…………………………………………….0,3 a (pt) 17. Light yellow horizontally-bedded middle-grained sand with pebbles…………………….0,35 a (rf) 18. Gravels in cross-bedded sands with mammalian remains: Mimomys (Cromeromys) intermedius Newton (6), Microtus ex gr. oeconomus Pall. (1), Microtus sp. (2)…………………………………..0,3 a (rf) 19. Grey and yellowish-grey gravel with pebbly sandy interbeds. Prolagurus (Prolagurus) posterius Zazhigin (1), Mimomys (Mimomys) pusillus Mehely (3), Mimomys (Cromeromys) intermedius Newton (2), Mimomys sp. (3) were collected from this layer…………………………………………………..2,4

Section IV Section IV is located in the gully 100 m downstream from Section III. Quaternary Pleistocene Lower Neopleistocene

Chui-Atasevo III Horizon – Q1 ča3 (lacustrine deposits – l) Thickness, m l 1. Alternation of grey polymictic middle-grained sands, pink-brown silty clay and yellow iron-stained clayey silt (thickness of the interbeds is 3–7 cm). The observed thickness is…………………………..2

94 Upper Pliocene and Pleistocene of the Southern Urals region

Erosional base / Sedimentary break.

Chui-Atasevo I Horizon – Q1 ča1 (alluvial deposits – a (rf, pt)) a (pt) 2. Yellow fine- to medium sands with Mimomys sp. (3) и Microtus ex gr. oeconomus Pall. (1)…...0,3 a (rf) 3. Gravel in yellow fine- to medium sand with pebbles………………………………………...0,2

Erosional base / Sedimentary break. Lower Eopleistocene (alluvial deposits – a (rf)) 4. Stratified gravels in yellow, greyish-brown iron-stained sands with lenses of loam, sand, and small pebbles. Boulders (with a diameter up to 18 cm) occur in the lower part of the layer………………..4,2 5. Limonite crust………………………………………………………………………………...0,08–0,1

Erosional base / Sedimentary break. Neogene Middle Aktschagyl (limanian deposits – lm) 6. Dark grey dense clay. The upper 40 cm of this bed are yellowish-brown in colour. The observed thickness is…………………………………………………………………………………………….1,5

Section V The section is located 60 m downstream from the mouth of the river Baza on the left bank terrace under the village Marjino. The top of the terrace is at approximately 92 m above sea level and its base is at 74 m. The thickness of the alluvial deposits is 18 m. The total thickness of the deposits is 30 m. The following deposits occur, starting from the top of the terrace. Quaternary

Holocene – Q4

(subaerial deposits – pd, ld (pgl)) Thickness, m pd 1. Dark brown soil……………………………………………………………………………..0,3–0,4 ld (pgl)B 2. Dark brown loam…………………………………………………………………….0,6–0,8 Pleistocene Middle Neopleistocene 2 Kaluga Horizon – Q2 (lacustrine-slope periglacial deposits – ld(pgl)) 3. Dark brown loam with carbonate………………………………………………………………0,4–0,6 4. Brown loam with columnar jointing and with iron-staining in the lower part (10 cm)……………4–5 and its significance for correlation of the eastern and western parts of Europe 95

1 Likhvin Horizon – Q2

(subaerial deposits – lh) 5. Greyish-brown loam……………………………………………………………………………1,1–1,2

Lower Neopleistocene

Chui-Atasevo II Horizon – Q1 ča2 (lacustrine-slope periglacial deposits – l, ld (pgl)) 6. Brown blocky loam with iron-staining…………………………………………………………0,6–0,8 7. Light brown massive clay with in the upper part a horizon of carbonaceous concretions (diameter is 7–10 cm) in the upper part………………………………………………………………………………2 8. Light greyish-brown bedded loam………………………………………………………………….0,6 9. Greyish-yellow polymictic fine sand……………………………………………………………...0,18 10. Yellowish-brown clay……………………………………………………………………………..0,1 11. Yellowish-grey polymictic fine sand……………………………………………………………...0,1 12. Yellowish-brown micro-bedded loam with in the upper part a horizon of carbonaceous concretions (diameter is 5–7 cm)………………………………………………………………………………….0,65

Chui-Atasevo I Horizon – Q1 ča1 (alluvial deposits – a (rf, pt)) a (pt) 13. Yellowish-grey polymictic fine- and middle-grained sands with pebble lenses (thickness is 3–5 cm)………………………………………………………………………………………………...1,4 a (pt) 14. Yellowish-grey polymictic fine- and middle-grained sand…………………………………0,4 15. Bedded gravels…………………………………………………………………………………….0,6 16. Massive gravels in yellowish-grey polymictic sands………………………………………………..1 17. Brown and light yellow horizontally-bedded gravels……………………………………………..0,6 18. Greenish-grey gravels in polymictic sands………………………………………………………..1,2 19. Multi-coloured gravels: black manganese (thickness is 5–7 cm), yellowish-red (thickness is 2–3 cm) and yellow (thickness is 7–10 cm)…………………………………………………………………...0,75 20. Brownish-grey bedded gravels with interbeds of light grey and yellow polymictic sands (thickness is 5–15 cm)…………………………………………………………………………………………...1,25 Mammal remains were collected in layers 13, 15, 16: Mimomys (Gromeromys) intermedius Newton (1), Mimomys (Microtomys) pusillus Mehely (1), Mimomys sp. (3), Microtus (Pitymys) hintoni Kretzoi (1), Microtus (Microtus) oeconomus Pall. (1), Microtus sp. (4).

Erosional base / Sedimentary break. Permian deposits. The observed thickness is………………………………………………………..12 m

96 Upper Pliocene and Pleistocene of the Southern Urals region

Fig. 28. Correlation between the Chui-Atasevo sections (by V.L. Yakchemovich, G.A. Danukalova, A.G. Yakovlev and V.P. Sukhov, 1983)

Vegetation (Fig. 29–32) Palynological investigations indicate that Picea-Pinus taiga forest with a low percentage of Betula, Tilia and Alnus dominated during the Middle Aktchagylian and herbs dominated in the more open areas. In the Early Eopleistocene a forest-steppe biocoenosis predominated. Scattered patches of Betula forest with broad-leaved trees occurred in the herbaceous-Artemisia steppe. During the early part of the Chui- Atasevo period there was an alternation of steppe with herbaceous-Artemisia associations and Betula forests with broad-leaved trees. The climate was warm and dry. The soils show a marked saltenrichment. During the middle Chui-Atasevo period the vegetation changed to a taiga forest. The climate became colder and more humid. The Late Chui-Atacevo period is characterised by the occurrence of a broad- leaved-Betula forests and a grassland-steppe. The climate was warm, probably warmer than during the early Chui-Atacevo. The soils show a marked saltenrichment. and its significance for correlation of the eastern and western parts of Europe 97

va).

Chui-Atasevo section I and pollen diagram (by V.L. Yakchemovich, A.V. Sydnev, G.A. Danukalova, A.G. Yakovlev and L.I. Alimbeko L.I. and Yakovlev A.G. Danukalova, G.A. Sydnev, A.V. Yakchemovich, V.L. (by diagram and pollen I section Chui-Atasevo Fig. 29. Fig. 5. Fig. see Legend

98 Upper Pliocene and Pleistocene of the Southern Urals region

ova).

Chui-Atasevo section II and pollen diagram (by V.L. Yakchemovich, A.V. Sydnev, G.A. Danukalova, A.G. Yakovlev and L.I. Alimbek and L.I. Yakovlev A.G. Danukalova, G.A. Sydnev, A.V. Yakchemovich, V.L. (by diagram and pollen II section Chui-Atasevo Legend see Fig. 5. see Fig. Legend Fig. 30. and its significance for correlation of the eastern and western parts of Europe 99

Chui-Atasevo section IV and pollen diagram (by V.L.Yakchemovich, A.V.Sydnev, G.A. Danukalova, A.G. Yakovlev and and A.G. Yakovlev G.A. Danukalova, A.V.Sydnev, V.L.Yakchemovich, (by diagram pollen and IV section Chui-Atasevo Fig. 31. Fig. 5. Fig. see Legend Alimbekova). L.I.

100 Upper Pliocene and Pleistocene of the Southern Urals region

Chui-Atasevo

Fig. 32. V and section pollen diagram (by V.L. Yakchemovich, A.V. Sydnev, G.A. Danukalova, andA.G. Yakovlev L.I. Alimbekova). 5. see Fig. Legend

and its significance for correlation of the eastern and western parts of Europe 101

Rare pollen and spores occur in the Oka deposits: Betula and some grassy plants (Artemisia). It is assumed that periglacial landscapes existed in the Fore-Urals. Herbaceous plants (mainly Artemisia), Picea and small a quantity of broad-leaved trees pollens dominated the botanical record from the Likhvin deposits and Artemisia-Chenopodiaceae-herbaceous associations dominated during the Middle Neopleistocene Kaluga episode.

Molluscs The early Chui-Atasevo complex is characterised by a dominance of freshwater molluscs and a few land hydrophylic species (Tabl. 16).

Table 16. The stratigraphical distribution of the molluscs in the Chui-Atasevo sections

Quaternary Pleistocene Species Lower Neopleistocene Horizon Chui-Atasevo III Chui-Atasevo I Chui-Atasevo I Sections I III Layers 8 9 14–15 Succinea oblonga Drap. 1 18 Vallonia costata Müll. 2 V. pulchella Müll. 7 Pupilla muscorum L. 4 Cochlicopa lubrica columna Cles. 2 Zenobiella rubiginosa A.Schm. 5 Stagnicola palustris Müll. 2 34 Planorbis planorbis L. 2 22 Paraspira spirorbis L. 13 Gyraulus laevis Alder. 10 Viviparus achatinoides Desh. 8 + fragments 8 Viviparus sp. 3 juv. 1 fragment Valvata pulchella Müll. 5 V. piscinalis (Müll.) 10 V. piscinalis (Müll.) antiqua Sow. 2 V. naticina Menke 16 Bithynia tentaculata L. 5 Bithynia sp. 1 fragment Lithoglyphus decipiens oblongus G. Ppv. 5 41 Lithoglyphus sp. 1 fragment Unio sp. Fragments Fragments Fragments Sphaerium rivicola L. 23 28 Pisidium amnicum Müll. 4 17 Legend: 1–10 11–20 21–30 31–50 > 50 specimens specimens specimens specimens specimens

102 Upper Pliocene and Pleistocene of the Southern Urals region

Ostracods (Tabl. 17)

The early Chui-Atasevo complex (sections I, III) consists of: Ilyocypris bradyi Sars, I. pibba (Ramd.), I. bella Scharap., Cypria curvifurcata Klie, Candona neglecta Sars, С. rostrata Br. et Norm., Candona juv., Eucypris dulcifons Dieb et Pietr. and Cyprideis torosa (Jones). The middle Chui-Atasevo complex (sections V) is characterised by cold-resisting ostracods and is composed of species which occur in the early Chui-Atasevo complex together with Ilyocypris cf. decipiens Masi, Cyclocypris laevis (O. Müll), С. ovum (Jurine), C. triangula Neg., the cold-resisting Candona neglecta Sars, С. fabaeformis (Fisch.), Cytherissa lacustris Sars, Limnocythere usenensis Karm., numerous Denticulocythere cf. scharapovae (Schw.), D. caspiensis Neg., Cyprideis torosa (Jones) and Paracyprideis naphtatscholana (Liv.). The late Chui-Atasevo complex (section I) includes: Ilyocypris, I. biplicata (Koch), I. aff. getica Masi, Cyclocypris triangula Klie, Cypria curvifurcata Klie, C. tambouensis Mandel., Candona candida (O. Müll.), C. neglecta Sars, C. juv., Dolerocypris fasciata (O. Müll.), Cytherissa lacustris Sars, Denticulocythere cf. scharapouae (Schw.), Cyprideis torosa (Jones). The Oka complex (sections I, III) is rich in species: Cyclocypris ovum (Jurine), Cypria curvifurcata (Klie), Candona сandida (О. Müll.), Cytherissa lacustris Sars, Denticulocythere cf. scharapovae (Schw.), numerous stenothermic cold-resisting Cyclocypris serena (Koch), Candona rectangulata (Alm), C. neglecta Sars and rare Sclerocypris? aff. clavata (Baird), Paralimnocythere compressa (Br. et Norm.) etc. The Likhvin complex (section V) was poor in ostracods; only a few specimen of the following species: Ilyocypris bradyi Sars, I. gibba (Ramd.), I. bella Scharap., Candona neglecta Sars, Denticulocythere dorsotuberculata (Neg.). The Kaluga complex (section V) consists of a small quantity of Ilyocypris bradyi Sars, I. decipiens Masi, I. bella Scharap., I. biplicata (Koch) and numerous stenothermic cold-resisting I. inermis Kauf., I. aff. getica Masi, Cyclocypris ovum (Jurine), Candona neglecta Sars, Candona juv., Eucypris dulcifons Dieb. et Pietr. and Denticulocythere dorsotuberculata (Neg.).

Table 17. The stratigraphical distribution of the ostracods in the Chui-Atasevo sections

Quaternary Pleistocene Species Eopleis. Neopleistocene Link Lower Lower Middle Chui-Atasevo Chui-Atasevo Chui-Atasevo II Oka Likhvin Kaluga Horizons I III Sections IV I III V I I III V 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Ilyocypris bradyi Sars 16 2 2 21 39 23 6 10 2 4 I. gibba (Ramd.) 11 5 2 7 9 10 6 1 I. decipiens Masi 4 1 10 4 1 I. cf. decipiens Masi 33 9 I. bella Scharap. 1 1 1 28 11 2 4 60 I. biplicata (Koch) 3 1 I. manasensis Mandel. 16 I. inerims Kauf. 3 I. aff. inermis Kauf 1 2 I. aff. getica Masi 2 3 99 1 and its significance for correlation of the eastern and western parts of Europe 103

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Cyclocypris laevis (O. Müll.) 2 141 C. ovum (Jurine) 1 1 19 1 C. serena (Koch) 23 5 C. triangula Neg. 14 1 C. aff. triangula Neg. 34 Cypria candonaeformis (Schw.) 3 151 C. pseudoarma M. Popova 166 C. curvifurcata Klie 11 19 1 4 33 17 26 C. tambovensis Mandel. 3 2 Candona candida (O. Müll.) 1 1 C. combibo Liv. 5 C. neglecta Sars 1 4 29 9 14 2 1 1 C. fabaeformis (Fisch.) 1 14 C. rostrata Br. et Norm. 1 1 56 С. aff. rostrata Br. et Norm. 5 С. rectangulata (Alm) 65 Candona juv. 2 12 38 172 19 951 4 6 Eucypris famosa Schn. 1 Eucypris dulcifons Dieb. et Pietr. 1 5 6 Dolerocypris fasciata (O. Müll.) 2 Cytherissa lacustris Sars 1 8 4 Metacypris cordata Br. et Rob. 8 Limnocythere usenensis Karm. 1 7 Denticulocythere scharapovae (Schw.) 1 D. cf. scharapovae (Schw.) 95 191 36 51 D. dorsotuberculata (Neg.) 4 2 D. caspiensis Neg. 16 4 2 Paralimnocythere compressa (Br. et Norm.) 1 Cyprideis torosa (Jones) 7 2 Paracyprideis naphtatscholana (Liv.) 1 Legend: 1–5 6–15 16–30 > 30

specimens specimens specimens specimens

Small mammals (Tabl. 18) The faunas of section I, layer 8, 9 and section III and layer 15 are of Early Pleistocene age. Mimomys pusillus Mehely, Mimomys intermedius New., Prolagurus (Prolagurus) cf. posterius Zazhigin, Lagurus transiens Janossy and grey field-voles of the subgenus Pitymys were identief. The fauna of section I, layer 8 is peculiar because of the presence Arvicola mosbachensis Schmidtgen, together with the typical Early Pleistocene species Mimomys intermedius New., Mimomys pusillus Mehely, Prolagurus (Рrolagurus) cf. posterius Zazhigin and Lagurus transiens Janossy. The fauna of Section I layer 8 is younger than the fauna of the Early Tiraspol complex (localities Karai-Dubina, Petropavlovka 2); the fauna is similar to the associations from Uryv 3, Novokhopersk, Ilovaisky Cordon, Shamin and Klepky. The faunas from the localities Vyatkino and Kolkotova Balka are younger. It is assumed that the faunas Chui-Atasevo I and III reflect two different stages of the Early Pleistocene faunal history; two stages that are separated by a long cold episode that predates the Oka glaciation.

104 Upper Pliocene and Pleistocene of the Southern Urals region

Table 18. The stratigraphical distribution of the small mammals in the Chui-Atasevo sections

Quaternary Pleistocene Species Lower Neopleistocene Horizons Chui-Atasevo I Chui-Atasevo III Section III I I Layer 15 9 8 Sorex sp. 6 Talpa sp. 3 Lepus sp. 1 Ochotona sp. 2 46 Spermophilus sp. 1 3 Cricetus sp. 3 Myospalax sp. 1 14 Sicista sp. 1 Allactaga sp. 1 3 Clethrionomys ex gr. glareolus Schreber (М1, M ) 1 1 16 3 Cl. (? ex gr. glareolus Schreber) (М1, M ) 7 Clethrionomys sp. 7 1 31 3 Prolagurus (Prolagurus) cf. posterius Zazhigin (М1, M ) 1 6 3 Lagurus transiens Janossy (М1, M ) 1 17 Lagurini gen. 3 77

Eolagurus luteus praeluteus Schevtchenko 7 (incl. 1M1) Lemmus sp. 1 Arvicola terrestris L. 3 Mimomys (Cromeromys) intermedius Newton (М1, М ) 1 2 23 3 M. (Microtomys) pusillus Mehely (М1, М ) 4 26 Мimomys sp. 17 8 3 Arvicola mosbachensis Schmidtgen 30 (incl. 4M1, 2M )

Allophajomys pliocaenicus Kormos (M1) 2

Microtus (Pitymys) hintoni Kretzoi (М1) 1 30

M. (P.) gregaloides Hinton (M1) 4 44

M. ex gr. malei - huperboreus (M1) 1 1 11

M. ex gr. arvalis - agrestis (M1) 4 1 24

M. (Stenocranius) gregalis Pallas (M1) 1 11

M. ex gr. oeconomus Pallas (M1) 2 17 Microtus sp. 71 23 469

Palaeomagnetic investigations Section I (Suleimanova, 1987, 1992) (Fig. 33). The total thickness of studied deposits is 11 m. The sampling was detailed; 46 stratigraphical levels were investigated. The section shows a normal polarity and is correlated to the Brunhes palaeomagnetic Epoch. F. I. Suleimanova found intervals with palaeomagnetic anomalies in the Kaluga and Chui-Atasevo horizons. Section II (Suleimanova, 1987, 1992) (Fig. 34). The total thickness of studied deposits is 4 m. 15 stratigraphical levels were investigated. The section shows a normal polarity and is correlated to the Brunhes Epoch. and its significance for correlation of the eastern and western parts of Europe 105

Section III (Suleimanova, 1987, 1992). 26 stratigraphical levels were investigated. F.I. Suleimanova found intervals with anomal polarity in the deposits of the Chui-Atasevo horizon. The section shows a normal polarity and correlates to the Brunhes Epoch. Section V (Suleimanova, 1987, 1992) (Fig. 35). The total thickness of studied deposits is 18 m. The sampling was detailed; 67 stratigraphical levels were investigated. The section shows a normal polarity and is correlated to the Brunhes palaeomagnetic Epoch. F. I. Suleimanova found an interval with anomalous polarity in deposits of the Kaluga Horizon and correlated this interval with the Chagan Event.

Fig. 33. The Chui-Atasevo palaeomagnetic section I (by F.I. Suleimanova, V.L. Yakchemovich, G.A. Danukalova and A.G. Yakovlev, 1987). Legend see Fig. 10.

106 Upper Pliocene and Pleistocene of the Southern Urals region

Fig. 34. The Chui-Atasevo palaeomagnetic section II (by F.I. Suleimanova, V.L. Yakchemovich, G.A. Danukalova and A.G. Yakovlev, 1987). Legend see Fig. 10.

Problems The composition of the small mammal fauna from section I, layer 8 is remarkable and it is difficult to draw conclusions about the age of the fauna. Molars of the genus Mimomys are common and remains of Prolagurus posterius Zazhigin and Arvicola mosbachensis Schmidtgen are also identified. Faunas with Arvicola mosbachensis Schmidtgen and without Mimomys are well known from deposits with a Likhvin Interglacial age. Molars referred to Arvicola terrestris L. from Chui-Atasevo section I, layer 8 look more archaic than those with a Likhvin age: the degree of differentiation of the enamel corresponds to that of the Mimomys molars. and its significance for correlation of the eastern and western parts of Europe 107

Fig. 35. The Chui-Atasevo palaeomagnetic section V (by F.I. Suleimanova, V.L. Yakchemovich, G.A. Danukalova and A.G. Yakovlev, 1987). Legend see Fig. 10.

108 Upper Pliocene and Pleistocene of the Southern Urals region

References Popova-Lvova, M. G., 1988. Ostracods from type localities Chui-Atasevo and Gornova of the Bashkirian Fore- Urals (in Russian). In: Some questions of the biostratigraphy, palaeomagnetizm and tectonic of the Cenozoic of the Fore-Urals. BNC UO AS USSR (Ufa): 24–60. Sukhov, V. P., 1976. Small mammals of the Tiraspol faunistic complex from the lower course of the Belaya river (the Chui-Atasevo section) (in Russian). In: Questions in stratigraphy and correlation of Pliocene and Pleistocene deposits of the southern and nothern parts of Fore-Urals. BFAS USSR (Ufa): 4–40. Suleimanova, F. I. & Yakchemovich, V. L, 1981. Magnetostratigraphic sequence of the Pliocene and lower Pleistocene in the extraglacial zone of the Fore-Urals. In: Pliocene and Pleistocene of the Volga-Urals region. Nauka (Moscow): 53–59. Yakchemovich, V. L, 1981. Pleistocene stratigraphy of the Fore-Urals (in Russian). In: Pliocene and Pleistocene of the Volga-Urals region. Nauka (Moscow): 53–59. Yakchemovich, V. L, Nemkova, V. K., Sydnev, A. V., Suleimanova, F. I., Khabibullina, G. A., Sherbakova, T. I. & Yakovlev, A. G., 1987. Pleistocene of the Fore-Urals (in Russian). Nauka (Moscow): 113 pp. Yakovlev, A. G., 1988. For the history of the genus Arvicola’s development in the Pleistocene of the Bashkirian Fore-Urals (in Russian). In: Some questions of the biostratigraphy, palaeomagnetizm and tectonic of the Cenozoic of the Fore-Urals. BNC UO AS USSR (Ufa): 17–23.

and its significance for correlation of the eastern and western parts of Europe 109

THE ILENKA SECTIONS

Locality The sections are located in the valley Ilenka between the villages Iltyuganovo and Aktyuba (Karmaskaly Region, Bashkortostan Republic) (Fig. 1). The Pliocene and Pleistocene deposits occur here as multi-storied terraces (Fig. 36, 37).

History In 1977 V.L. Yakchemovich, M.G. Popova-Lvova, A.G. Petrenko, Yu.M. Petrov and V.A. Koblov studied the sections. In 1979, 1986, 1987 V.P. Sukhov, A.G. Yakovlev and G.A. Danukalova collected small mammal remains and molluscs. The small mammal remains were identified by A.G. Yakovlev and V.P. Sukhov (Ufa), the molluscs by G.A. Danukalova (Ufa), the ostracods by M.G. Popova-Lvova (Ufa) and the pollen and spores by L.I. Alimbekova (Ufa).

Description of the sections Section I The section is located on the right bank of the river Ilenka 200–300 m upstream from the bridge. The following layers are identified in the section (Fig. 38).

Neogene Upper Pliocene Middle Aktschagyl (limanian deposits – lm (mal)) Thickness, m 1. Gravels with roots of plants changed by soil formation…………………………………………….0,4 2. Light brown (with a pink tint) clayey thin laminated silt. The thickness of light grey and yellow fine sandy interbeds is 0,1–3 cm…………………………………………………………………………...0,5 3. Light coloured ferruginous gravel with large sub angular pebbles (diameter 2–10 cm) of limestone (80 %) and flint and quartz (20 %)………………………………………………………………………..0,2–0,5 4. Clayey silt (similar to the silt of the layer 2) with a sinuous lens (thickness is 20–30 cm) of coarse gravel…………………………………………………………………………………………………..1,2 5. Fine gravel similar to the gravel of the layer 3…………………………………………………0,2–0,4 6. Light grey silt with thin interbeds of sand, fine and coarse gravel with ostracods: Ilyocypris bradyi Sars (31), Candona sp. (1), juvenile Candonen (40), Cytherissa lacustriformis M.Popova (45), C. torulosa (M.Popova) (19), Prolimnocythere inderica (Scharap.) (8), P. inderica kumurliensis (M.Popova) (39), P. tenuireticulata (Suz.) (2), Loxoconcha varia Suz. (4), Cyprideis torosa (Jones) (6)...... 0,4–1 7. Fine and middle gravel with interbeds of sand and silt (thickness is 2–5 cm) and with iron staining in the upper part of the layer……………………………………………………………………...0,6–0,9

110 Upper Pliocene and Pleistocene of the Southern Urals region

Scheme of the terraces and the location of the sections in the valley Ilenka valley the in sections the of location the and terraces of the Scheme Fig. 36.

and its significance for correlation of the eastern and western parts of Europe 111

Fig. 38. The Ilenka Section I

8. Silt with thin interbeds (thickness is 7 cm) of iron-stained gravel………………………………….0,4 9. Fine iron-stained gravel with four silty interbeds (thickness is 2–5 cm)……………………………0,7 10. Light grey thin bedded clayey silt with ostracods: Ilyocypris bradyi Sars (25), Candona neglecta Sars (3), juvenile Candonen (29), Cytherissa lacustriformis M. Popova (5), Prolimnocythere tenuireticulata (Suz.) (7), P. inderica (Scharap.) (6), P. inderica kumurliensis (M. Popova) (98), Loxoconcha varia Suz. (2) and Cyprideis torosa (Jones) (1)…………………………………………………………….0,15–0,2 11. White middle gravel with rare gastropods Valvata cf. piscinalis Müll. (4 juv. fragments), Valvata sp. (1 fragment) and ostracods Ilyocypris bradyi Sars (1), Candona neglecta Sars (1), Cytherissa lacustriformis M. Popova (1)……………………………………………………………………………………………1 12. Alternation of silt and gravel (thickness is 2–5 cm) with ostracods Ilyocypris bradyi Sars (21), juvenile Candonen (12), Cytherissa lacustriformis M.Popova (1), Prolimnocythere inderica Scharap. (6), P. inderica kumurliensis M.Popova (41), Loxoconcha varia Suz. (1) and Cyprideis torosa (Jones) (1)……..1,2–1,5 13. Gravels with interbeds (thickness is 5 cm) of brown silty clay in the lower part and with Ilyocypris bradyi Sars (2), Cytherissa lacustriformis M. Popova (1) and Loxoconcha varia Suz. (1)………0,8–0,9 14. Greyish-brown silt thin laminated clay with interbeds of silt and fine grained iron-stained sand. Interbeds (thickness is 3–4 cm) of yellow gravel with brown sand occur in the middle part of the layer. Rare gastropods Valvata cf. piscinalis Müll. (1 juv. fragment), Clessiniola sp. (cf. julaevi G. Ppv.) (1) and ostracods Ilyocypris bradyi Sars (4), juvenile Candonen (19), Cytherissa lacustriformis M. Popova (37), C. torulosa M. Popova (16), Leptocythere litica Liv. (1), Prolimnocythere inderica Scharap. (4), P. inderica kumurliensis M. Popova (31) and Loxoconcha varia Suz. (3) occur……………………..0,4 15. Brownish-grey middle-grained polymictic sand with thin (2 cm) interbeds of gravel and with ostracods Ilyocypris bradyi Sars (11), juvenile Candonen (26), Cytherissa lacustriformis M. Popova (3), C. torulosa M. Popova (1), Prolimnocythere inderica (Scharap.) (27), Prolimnocythere inderica kumurliensis M. Popova (13) and Loxoconcha varia Suz. (1)………………………………………………………0,4 16. Alternation of thin bedded brownish-grey aleuritic clay and fine shingle (thickness of interlayers is 2–10 cm) with ostracods Ilyocypris bradyi Sars (7), juvenile Candonen (16), Cytherissa lacustriformis M.Popova (25), C. torulosa M.Popova (12), Prolimnocythere tenuireticulata (Suz.) (2), P. inderica Scharap. (32) and Loxoconcha varia Suz. (1)………………………………………………………0–1,2

112 Upper Pliocene and Pleistocene of the Southern Urals region

17. Alternation of grey clay, greyish-brown silts and yellow fine sand (the thickness of the interbeds is 1– 4 cm). Molluscs Clessiniola cf. julaevi G. Ppv. (24), Clessiniola sp. (22), Valvata sp. (cf. piscinalis Müll.) (10) and ostracods Ilyocypris bradyi Sars (34), Candona neglecta Sars (1), juvenile Candonen (24), Candona parallela G. Müll. (3), Cytherissa lacustriformis M. Popova (136), C. torulosa M. Popova (49), Prolimnocythere tenuireticulata (Suz.) (53), P. inderica Scharap. (1), P. inderica kumurliensis M. Popova (5), Loxoconcha varia Suz. (29) were identified………………………………………………………0,8

18. Alternation of yellow, brownish-grey fine sand and brownish-grey aleuritic clay (thickness of interlayers is 3–7 cm) with mollusks Clessiniola julaevi G. Ppv. (42), Valvata piscinalis Müll. (6), V. pulchella Müll. (1), Dreissena polymorpha (Pall.) (2), Pisidium amnicum Müll. (6) and ostracods Ilyocypris bradyi Sars (45), juvenile Candonen (11), Eucypris sp. (1 juv.), Cytherissa lacustriformis M.Popova (42), C. torulosa M.Popova (14), Mediocytherideis apatoica (Schw.) (2), Prolimnocythere tenuireticulata (Suz.) (17), P. inderica (Scharap.) (54), P. inderica kumurliensis M.Popova (49), Loxoconcha varia (Suz.) (17), Cyprideis torosa (Jones) (19 Alternation of yellow, brownish-grey fine sand and brownish-grey silty clay (the thickness of the interbeds is 3–7 cm) Molluscs Clessiniola julaevi G. Ppv. (42), Valvata piscinalis Müll. (6), V. pulchella Müll. (1), Dreissena polymorpha (Pall.) (2), Pisidium amnicum Müll. (6) and ostracods Ilyocypris bradyi Sars (45), juvenile Candonen (11), Eucypris sp. (1 juv.), Cytherissa lacustriformis M. Popova (42), C. torulosa M. Popova (14), Mediocytherideis apatoica (Schw.) (2), Prolimnocythere tenuireticulata (Suz.) (17), P. inderica (Scharap.) (54), P. inderica kumurliensis M. Popova (49), Loxoconcha varia (Suz.) (17) and Cyprideis torosa (Jones) (19) occur………………………………1,2

19. Gravels with large boulders and pebbles…………………………………………………………..1,5

20. Greyish-brown sand with iron-stained interbeds with molluscs Clessiniola julaevi G. Ppv. (4) and ostracods Ilyocypris bradyi Sars (41), juvenile Candonen (30), Cytherissa lacustriformis M. Popova (33), C. torulosa M. Popova (8), Mediocytherideis apatoica (Schw.) (1), Prolimnocythere tenuireticulata (Suz.) (5), P. inderica (Scharap.) (5), Loxoconcha varia Suz. (6) and Cyprideis torosa (Jones) (49)……….0,5

Sedimentary break.

Middle Aktschagyl

(marine deposits – m)

21. Brown silty clay and iron-stained interbeds with molluscs Valvata pulchella Müll. (1 fragment), Clessiniola julaevi G. Ppv. (82), Dreissena sp, ?Scalaxis sp. and ostracods Ilyocypris bradyi Sars (140), Cypria candonaeformis (Schw.) (4), Candona neglecta Sars (1), juvenile Candonen (8), Cytherissa torulosa M. Popova (4), Mediocytherideis apatoica (Schw.) (1), Prolimnocythere tenuireticulata (Suz.) (7), P. inderica (Scharap.) (127), Loxoconcha varia Suz. (22), Cyprideis torosa (Jones) (997)………..1

22. Grey silty clay with molluscs Valvata sp. (1 juv.), Clessiniola julaevi G. Ppv. (48), Aktschagylia subcaspia (Andrus.) (4), Dreissena sp. (5) and ostracods Ilyocypris bradyi Sars (111), Cypria candonaeformis (Schw.) (373), juvenile Candonen (45), Cytherissa torulosa M. Popova (21), Mediocytherideis apatoica (Schw.) (8), Prolimnocythere inderica (Scharap.) (617), P. tenuireticulata (Suz.) (60), Denticulocythere producta (Jask. et Kaz.) (5), D. scharapovae (Schw.) (3), Loxoconcha varia Suz. (29), Cyprideis torosa (Jones) (505). Interbeds (thickness is 2–3 cm) of light grey fine sand occurred in the lower part. The observed thickness is………………………………………………………………………………..2

Talus……………………………………………………………………………………………………1,5

Water level / base of the section. and its significance for correlation of the eastern and western parts of Europe 113

Section II The section is located on the right bank of the river Ilenka in 300 m downstream of the section I. The upper part of the section was observed in the western side of the gully (Fig. 36).

Quaternary

Holocene – Q4

(subaerial deposits – pd) Thickness, m pd A 1. Dark grey soil with rare small pebbles of flint and limestone, with fossil burrows (diameter is 4–5 cm) filled by the same loam that occurs in layer 2………………………………………………..0,2 pd AB 2. Dark brownish-grey loamy soil with carbonate and pebbles (flint, quartz, limestone)…….0,15

Pleistocene Lower-Upper(?) Neopleistocene (subaerial deposits – pd В) 3. Dark greyish-brown dense loam with carbonate and fossil burrows (diameter is 10 cm) filled by soil sediments from the layer 1……………………………………………………………………….……0,2

Upper Eopleistocene (lacustrine, lacustrine-subaerial deposits – l pd B l) 4. Brown with pink tint silty loam with rare small concretions of carbonate…………………………0,3 5. Laminated silty clay (thickness of interbeds is 3–5 cm) with carbonate and fossil mole burrows (diameter is 6–10 cm)…………………………………………………………………………………………...0,35 6. Reddish-brown polymictic fine clayey sand with small lenses of detritus (Dreissena sp.)………...0,2 pd B l 7. Reddish-brown iron-stained loam (hydromorphic soil) with ostracods: Ilyocypris bradyi Sars (23), Candona sp. (2), juvenile Candonen (4), Eucypris famosa Schn. (1), Eucypris sp.1, Eucypris sp.2, Prolimnocythere tenuireticulata (Suz.) (2), Denticulocythere scharapovae (Schw.) (1), Loxoconcha varia Suz.* (1). White marl concretions (the length is 20 cm) occur in the lower and middle part of the layer..0,45

Lower Eopleistocene

Davlekanovo Horizon, upper subhorizon – E ap2 dv2 (lacustrine-subaerial deposits – pd l) 8. Brownish-green clay with interbeds (thickness 3–4 cm) of clayey silt with wedges filled by red coloured soil (width 4–8 cm)…………………………………………………………………………………..0,25

Davlekanovo Horizon, upper (?) subhorizon – E ap2 dv1 (lacustrine-subaerial deposits – pd B l) 9. Reddish-orange clay (hydromorphic soil) with ostracods: Ilyocypris bradyi Sars (32), Ilyocypris inermis Kauf. (57), Ilyocypris aff. inermis Kauf. (17), Ilyocypris aff. biplicata (Koch.) (1), Cypria

* Redeposited Aktchagylian species

114 Upper Pliocene and Pleistocene of the Southern Urals region candonaeformis (Schw.) (1), Candona aff. visenda Schn. (1), Eucypris famosa Schn. (34), Eucypris sp. (7), Zonocypris membranae Liv. (1), Prolimnocythere tenuireticulata Suz. (4), P. chabarowensis M. Popova (1), Denticulocythere producta (Jask. et Kaz.) (3), Loxoconcha varia Suz.* (5), Cyprideis torosa (Jones) (5). The fine gravel (thickness 2–10 cm) and yellowish-grey clayey silt occur at the base…………………………………………………………………………………………………….0,4 Sedimentary break.

Dema Horizon, upper subhorizon – E ap1 d2 (lacustrine deposits – l)

10. Greyish-orange iron-stained clay with ostracods Ilyocypris bradyi Sars (36), Ilyocypris inermis Kauf. (2), Cyclocypris laevis (O. Müll.) (2), Cypria candonaeformis (Schw.) (1), Candona parallela G. Müll (11), Candona sp. (1), C. balatonica Daday (1), juvenile Candonen (38), Eucypris famosa Schn. (4), Prolimnocythere tenuireticulata (Suz.) (1), Denticulocythere scharapovae (Schw.) (1), D. producta (Jask. et Kaz.) (1) and large carbonate concretions (10×5 cm, 20×5 cm)……………………………..0,3 11. Greyish-brown iron-stained clay with molluscs Dreissena polymorpha (Pall.) and ostracods Ilyocypris bradyi Sars (5), Cypria candonaeformis (Schw.) (5) and Cyprideis torosa (Jones) (2)………………0,2 12. Yellowish-grey laminated (thickness is 1–5 cm) fine- and middle-grained sand with Ilyocypris bradyi Sars (9), Ilyocypris inermis Kauf. (5), Cypria candonaeformis (Schw.) (63), Prolimnocythere tenuireticulata (Suz.) (3), Cyprideis torosa (Jones) (1). The horizon of carbonaceous concretions (thickness is 5 cm) located in the middle part of the layer. Under this horizon the sand becomes yellow, clayey and iron- stained (thickness is 7 cm)…………………………………………………………………………….0,4

Dema Horizon, lower subhorizon – E ap1 d1-2 (lacustrine-subaerial, alluvial deposits – pd B, l, a)

13. Light greenish-grey carbonaceous iron-stained clay (hydromorphous soil) with gastropods: Succinea oblonga Drap. (26), Vallonia costata Müll. (11), Valvata pulchella Müll. (1 fragment), Vertigo cf. substriata Jeff. (1), Clessiniola sp. (4) and ostracods Prolimnocythere inderica (Scharap.) (1)…………………0,2 a 14. Light grey bedded (the order of lamination is 5–20 cm) fine gravel with pebbles of angulated limestone (95%) and a matrix of un-sorted coarse polymictic clayey sand. Shells of Pisidium sp. occurred………………………………………………………………………………………………..1,4 Sedimentary break.

Neogene Upper Aktschagyl

Voevodskoye Suite – N2 a3 vv (limanian, lacustrine, alluvial, lacustrine-subaerial deposits – lm, l, a, pd l)

15. Greyish-yellow laminated silt with thin interbeds (thickness 2 cm) of yellowish-grey siltyclay and pebble lenses (thickness 15 cm). Otracods: Ilyocypris bradyi Sars (3), Ilyocypris inermis Kauf. (4), Cypria candonaeformis (Schw.) (4), juvenile Candonen (6), Prolimnocythere tenuireticulata (Suz.) (6), P. inderica (Scharap.) (5), Denticulocythere producta (Jask. et Kaz.) (4) Paracyprideis naphtatscholana (Liv.) (180)…………………………………………………………………………………………….1,8 and its significance for correlation of the eastern and western parts of Europe 115

16. Alternation of yellowish-grey and grey clays, light brown micro-laminated silt and yellow fine clayey sand (the order of lamination is 1–2 cm) with ostracods Cypria candonaeformis (Schw.) (2), Cyprideis torosa (Jones) (12), Prolimnocythere tenuireticulata (Suz.) (1). Also large iron-stained concretions occurred (length is 4–7 cm)……………………………………………………………………………1,2 al 17. Light brownish-grey clayey thin-bedded sand with interbeds of gravel in the base (thickness 2 cm) and and with juvenile Candonen (2)…………………………………………………………………..0,6 l 18. Alternation of thin laminated light grey clay, yellow fine sand with rare Cypria candonaeformis (Schw.) (1) the order of lamination is 1–5 mm………………………………………………………..0,4 al 19. Light yellow laminated iron-stained fine- and medium-grained sand with thin (thickness 1 cm) interbeds of grey clay and ostracods Cypria candonaeformis (Schw.) (2), C. pseudoarma M. Popova (1), juvenile Candonen (4) and Cyprideis torosa (Jones) (3)……………………………………………...0,6 Sedimentary break. pd B l 20. Dark greenish-grey clay (hydromorphic soil) with rare flint pebbles…………………….0,15

Middle Aktschagyl

Akkulaevo Suite – N2 a2 akk (limanian deposits – lт, l) 21. Greenish-grey iron-stained fine clayey sand with gravel at the base (thickness 0–15 cm) and with ostracods juvenile Candonen (2) and Loxoconcha varia Suz. (2)…………………………………….1,2 Sedimentary break. 22. Yellowish-brown polymictic fine clayey sand with small pebbles (with a diameter of less than 1,5 cm)…………………………………………………………………………………………………...1 23. Greyish-brown horizontally bedded fine polymictic sand with thin interbeds of grey clay (thickness 2– 3 cm) and yellow sand (thickness 1–2 cm). Detritus beds with Clessiniola sp. (4) and ostracods Ilyocypris bradyi Sars (125), Ilyocypris aff. inermis Kauf. (66), Cypria candonaeformis (Schw.) (1140), C. pseudoarma M. Popova (10), Candona neglecta Sars (8), Candona neglecta juv. (420), Cytherissa torulosa M. Popova (9), Prolimnocythere tenuireticulata (Suz.) (2), P. inderica (Scharap.) (323), Cyprideis torosa (Jones) (1230) and Loxoconcha varia Suz. (2)………………………………………………………………...0,9 24. Light greyish-brown fine polymictic sand. The observed thickness is……………………………...3

Section III

The section III located in the III over floodplain terrace on the right bank of the river Ilenka between the bridge and section I (Fig. 39). A Holocene soil and Upper Neopleistocene deposits (strip 0) cover more ancient deposits of the IV–V (?) floodplain terrace (strip1).

Quaternary Holocene (subaerial deposits – pd) Thickness, m 1. Black soil with plant roots and rare pebbles………………………………………………………..0,2

116 Upper Pliocene and Pleistocene of the Southern Urals region

Fig. 39. The Ilenka Section III, strip 0, 1

Pleistocene Upper Neopleistocene

4 Ostashkovo Horizon – Q3 os

(lacustrine-periglacial deposits – l pgl (pd AB, В)) pd AB 2. Yellowish-brown loam with a humic-rich upper part……………………………………...0,25 pd B 3. Yellowish-brown carbonaceous macroporous loam with pebbles, mole burrows (diameter is 6 cm) filled by soil……………………………………………………………………………………………0,3

Middle (?) Neopleistocene – Q2?

(lacustrine deposits – l (pd BC)) 4. Greyish-brown loam with white carbonaceous concretions (diameter less than 3 cm) with a precipitation of manganese…………………………………………………………………………………………..0,6

Lower (?) Neopleistocene – Q1?

(lacustrine deposits – l) 5. Dark brown dense loam with fossil mole burrows (diameter 7–8 cm) filled with loam of layer 4…….0,7 Sedimentary break. 6. Light iron-stained clay (yellow, greyish-brown) with limestone concretions (diameter less than 3 cm)…………………………………………………………………………………………………...0,4 7. Dark greyish-brown iron-stained clay with cristallized gypsum…………………………………...0,4 Sedimentary break. 8. Clay similar to the clay of layer 7 with fossil mole burrows and ostracods Ilyocypris bradyi Sars (500), I. gibba (Ramd.) (49), Candona rectangulata Alm. (2), juvenile Candonen (8), Limnocythere aff. sanctipatricii Br. et. Rob. (1)………………………………………………………………………….0,8 and its significance for correlation of the eastern and western parts of Europe 117

Neogene Upper Pliocene Middle Aktschagyl (limanian deposits – lm rf ) 9. Greenish-grey silt with limestone concretions (size is 10×30 cm) and molluscs: Succinea sp. (1 fragment), Vallonia costata Müll. (13), Lymnaeidae (7), Limnaea (?) sp. (1 juv.), Radix sp. (21 juv.), Galba sp. (28), Planorbis planorbis L. (5), Anisus vortex (L.) (1), Gyraulus gredleri var. rossmaessleri Auersw. (103), Armiger crista (L.) (3), Armiger crista var. inermis Lindh. (1), Valvata pulchella Müll. (26 juv.), V. piscinalis (Müll.) (5), V. cristata Müll. (1), Viviparus sp. (1 juv.), Bithynia sp. (1 juv.), operculum (5), Gastropoda (1), Dreissena polymorpha (Pall.) (126), Sphaerium cf. rivicola Lam. (1 juv.), Pisidium amnicum Müll. (29 juv.), Aktschagylia subcaspia (Andrus.) (3). Small mammal remains are rare…………………………………………………………………………………………...0,15–0,3

Lower (?) – Middle Aktschagyl (lacustrine, alluvial deposits, soils – l pd, a) l pd 10. Reddish-brown dense loam (soil) with small carbonaceous concretions (diameter 0,1–1 cm), rare sub-rounded pebbles and fossil mole-burrows (diameter 6 cm)……………………………………1 l 11. Dark reddish-brown loam with rounded pebbles of flint and sandstone………………………...0,4 l pd B 12. Reddish-brown dense loam with fossil mole-burrows (diameter is 5–6 cm) and rodents remains…………………………………………………………………………………………..0,5–0,85 l pd 13. Dark reddish-brown loam with precipitation of hydrous ferric oxide, with manganese oolithes, pebbles of quartz and flint. Small mammal remains are rare………………………………………….0,4 l 14. Light brown silty clay with numerous limestone concretions (diameter 2–15 cm) and ostracods Ilyocypris bradyi Sars (1), Eucypris famosa Schn. (1), Candona combibo Liv. (1), Denticulocythere aff. schweyeri Karm. (1) and Cyprideis torosa (Jones) (3)……………………………………………..0,5–1 l pd 15. Dark reddish-brown carbonaceous dense loam (hydromorphic soil) with gravels with flint and quartz and with ostracods Ilyocypris bradyi Sars (3), Cytherissa lacustriformis M.Popova (1), Denticulocythere aff. schweyeri Karm. (2) and Cyprideis torosa (Jones) (24)…………………………………………..0,6 l 16. Light pinkish-brown iron-stained dense loam with fossil mole-burrows (diameter 6 cm), filled with reddish loam at the top and with thin interbeds of fine gravel at the base. Three horizons of large calcareous concretions (diameter 20 cm) occur in the middle part of the layer. Molluscs Pisidium sp. and Dreissena sp. and ostracods Ilyocypris bradyi Sars (5), Cypria candonaeformis (Schw.) (1), C. pseudoarma M. Popova (4), Denticulocythere scharapovae (Schw.) (3), Prolimnocythere tenuireticulata (Suz.) (1) and Cyprideis torosa (Jones) (30) were collected…………………………………………………………………….1,2 al 17. Gravel of Permian deposits with red clay, brown sand and at the base a horizon of limestone concretions (size 10×30 cm). A layer of black manganese gravel (thickness 1–2 cm) occurs at the base…...1 l 18. Reddish-brown thin laminated silty clay with thin (thickness is several mm) interbeds of sand, fine pebbles of brown clay, black flint and grey limestone. Molluscs: Succinea sp. (1 fragment), Vallonia costata Müll. (380), Pupilla muscorum (L.) (40), P. cf. mutabilis Steklov (5), ?Scalaxis sp. (1 fragment), Valvata piscinalis Müll. (1), Сlessiniola julaevi G. Ppv. (6 fragments), Dreissena polymorpha (Pall.) (22 fragments) and Aktschagylia subcaspia (Andrus.) (42)………………………………………….0,45

118 Upper Pliocene and Pleistocene of the Southern Urals region a 19. Alternation of reddish-brown loam, brown poorly sorted sands with small pebbles and molluscs Vallonia costata Müll. (24), Сlessiniola julaevi G. Ppv. (1), Gastropoda (3), Dreissena polymorpha (Pall.) (1). Clayey and lenses of pebbles occur at the base. Small mammal remains were found at the top…...0,25 pd l 20. Reddish-brown silty dense loam with a precipitation of manganese, rare pebbles and two horizons of calcareous concretions (width is 3–10 cm, length is 10–40 cm)…………………………………...0,8 al 21. Poorly sorted gravels with small rounded and sub-rounded pebbles of black and light coloured flints, quartz, limestone and quartzitic sandstone and a matrix of greenish-grey clayey sand is………….1,6–2 Sedimentary break. Middle Permian deposits. The observed thickness is………………………………………………….1,2

Section IV (II floodplain terrace) Quaternary

Holocene (subaerial deposits – pd) Thickness, m pd A 1. Black soil……………………………………………………………………………………...0,2

Upper Neopleistocene (subaerial, deluvial, lacustrine deposits – pd, d, l) d 2. Light brown loam with thin interbeds of re-deposited dark grey soil…………………………….0,2 pd A1 l 3. Dark brownish-grey soil……………………………………………………………….0,2–0,25 pd A2 l 4. Black soil with small pebbles of flint and quartz…………………………………………...0,4 l 5. Dark grey loam with small pebbles at the base……………………………………………………0,2

Middle (?) Neopleistocene (subaerial, lacustrine deposits – pd, l) pd l 6. Dark grey hydromorphic soil with pebbles and iron staining………………………………….0,2 l 7. Dark grey loam with pebbles and pebble-lens at the base (thickness less than 7 cm)…………...0,15

Lower (?) Neopleistocene (subaerial, alluvial-deluvial, alluvial deposits – pd l, a-d, a(rf),) pd A l 8. Black hydromorphic soil……………………………………………………………………..0,2 ad 9. Alternation of gravels (thickness is 15 cm) and dark brownish-grey loams (thickness is 3–7 cm) with brownish-grey poorly sorted polymictic sand……………………………………………………0,6 a(rf) 10. Gravel with medium- and large sized pebbles of quartz, flint, limestone…………………...0,6 Sedimentary break. and its significance for correlation of the eastern and western parts of Europe 119

Neogene Upper Pliocene Middle Aktschagyl (alluvial, limanian deposits – a, lm) a 21 (11). Gravel with greenish-grey fine polymictic sand and rounded and sub-rounded pebbles of quartz, black and coloured flint and grey limestone…………………………………………………………..0,7 Sedimentary break. lm 22 (12). Light yellow silt with thin interbeds (thickness up to 1 cm) of light grey clay. Ostracods: juvenile Candonen (1), Cyprideis torosa (Jones) (1) occur. The observed thickness is………………0,4 In the western part of the 2nd floodplain terrace a fault (?Neogene in age) with an angle of 30–40° East has been observed in the layer 11. The following deposits cover the gravel of layer 11 (from the base to the top):

Neogene Upper Pliocene Middle Aktschagyl (lacustrine deposits – l) Thickness, m 20 (1). Light grey silty clay with juvenile Candonen (7)……………………………………………...0,2

Quaternary Pleistocene Eopleistocene (alluvial, lacustrine deposits – a(rf, pr), l) a(rf) 19 (2). Gravel with of rounded pebbles and with brownish-grey polymictic sand………………0,7 l 18 (3). Brownish-pink silty clay with ostracods Ilyocypris bradyi Sars (7), I. aff. inermis Kauf. (1), Candona neglecta Sars (1), Candona neglecta juv. (71) and Prolimnocythere tenuireticulata (Suz.) (5)…0,4 a(pr) 17 (4). Yellow polymictic fine sand with thin clayey interbeds………………………………...0,1 a(rf) 16 (5). Fine laminated gravels with pebbles, brown sand and clay………………………………..1 l 15 (6). Pinkish-brown clay with ostracods Darwinula stevensoni (Br. et Rob.) (2), Ilyocypris bradyi Sars (31), I. aff. inermis Kauf. (22), juvenile Candonen (C. neglecta) (53). At the base occurs a horizon of large marl concretions (size 5×5 – 15×10 cm)……………………………………………………...0,5 l 14 (7). Yellow iron-stained silty clay……………………………………………………………….0,15 l 13 (8). Greenish-grey clay with sandy interbeds (thickness is 5 cm). Ostracods: Ilyocypris bradyi Sars (5), I. aff. inermis Kauf. (10), Candona combibo Liv. (1), juvenile Candonen (9), Prolimnocythere tenuireticulata (Suz.) (5), P. chabarowensis M.Popova (6) and Cyprideis torosa (Jones) (150)……..0,6 l 12 (9). Yellow iron-stained clay………………………………………………………………..0,05–0,3 l 11 (10). Light grey silty clay…………………………………………………………………………0,2

120 Upper Pliocene and Pleistocene of the Southern Urals region

Vegetation The Aktschagylian deposits were not rich in pollen. Spectra indicating a Picea-forest with a small percentage of Pinus are known from the lower part of the Middle Aktschagylian deposits (Section I). During the Early Eopleistocene (Dema Suite) coniferous-deciduous forests with large open areas, covered by grassland-steppe associations dominated. In the Upper Eopleistocene deposits only rare spores and pollen were found (Fig. 40–44).

Ostracods The Early Aktschagylian ostacod complex from Section III is characterized by the typical Aktschagylian brackish water species Prolimnocythere tenuireticulata (Suz.) and P. scharapovae (Schw.). The Middle Aktschagyl (Akkulaevo time) complex is characterized by numerous typical marine and brackish water species Prolimnocythere tenuireticulata (Suz.), P. inderica (Scharap.), Cytherissa torulosa M. Popova, Loxoconcha varia (Suz.), Cytherissa torulosa, Leptocythere litica and numerous fresh water species Cypria, and euryhaline Cyprideis torosa (Jones). During the regression the impoverishment of the ostracod fauna has been registered: marine species disappeared and rare, freshwater and brackish water species occurred: Ilyocypris, Candona and Cytherissa.

Fig. 40. Ilenka Section III (strip 0) and pollen diagram (by V.L. Yakchemovich and L.I. Alimbekova). Legend see Fig. 5 . and its significance for correlation of the eastern and western parts of Europe 121

Fig. 41. Ilenka Section III (strip 1) and pollen diagram (by V.L. Yakchemovich and L.I. Alimbekova). Legend see Fig. 5 .

122 Upper Pliocene and Pleistocene of the Southern Urals region

Ilenka Sectionand pollen IV diagramV.L. (by Yakchemovich and L.I. Alimbekova). Legendsee Fig.5. Fig. 42. Fig.

and its significance for correlation of the eastern and western parts of Europe 123

Fig. 43. Ilenka Section I and pollen diagram (by V.L. Yakchemovich and L.I. Alimbekova). Legend see Fig. 5.

124 Upper Pliocene and Pleistocene of the Southern Urals region

Fig. 44. Ilenka Section II and pollen diagram (by V.L. Yakchemovich and L.I. Alimbekova). Legend see Fig. 5.

and its significance for correlation of the eastern and western parts of Europe 125

During the onset beginning of the Late Aktschagyl (Voevodskoye time) rare fresh water and euryhaline ostracods occurred. Brackish water species and Loxoconcha varia appeared during the Late Voevodskoye, then marine and brackish water species disappeared and the role of fresh water species increased. The early Dema ostracod complex (Section II) contains freshwater species. The late Dema complex (Early Eopleistocene) consists of freshwater species Darwinula stevensoni (Br. et Rob.), Ilyocypris bradyi Sars, brackishwater species Prolimnocythere tenuireticulata (Suz.), P. chabarowensis M. Popova and cold- resisted species Ilyocypris inermis. The late Davlekanovo ostracods (Early Eopleistocene) fauna is characterized by numerous stenothermic species Ilyocypris inermis, Ilyocypris bradyi and cold-resisted species Denticulocythere producta (Jask. et Kaz.). The Late Eopleistocene (Early Karmasan time) ostracods fauna contains fresh water species with a wide geographical range. Only rare cold-resisted species: Ilyocypris bradyi Sars, I. gibba (Ramd.), Candona rectangulata (Alm.) and some others occur in the Lower Neopleistocene deposits. Other Pleistocene deposits have no ostracods. (Tabl. 19).

Molluscs

In the deposits of Middle-Lower Aktschagyl age Succinea sp. (1), Pupilla muscorum L. (40), Pupilla cf. mutabilis Steklov (5), V. piscinalis Müll. (1), ?Scalaxis sp. (a left-rotated gastropod) (1), Dreissena polymorpha (Pall.) (22), Dreissena sp., Pisidium sp. and Aktschagylia subcaspia (Andrus.) (42) have been found. The Middle Aktschagylian complex contains: Succinea oblonga Drap. (1), Vallonia costata Müll. (13), Limnaea sp. (8), Radix sp. (21), Galba sp. (28), Planorbis planorbis L. (5), Anisus vortex L. (1), Gyraulus gredleri Alder. var. rossmaessleri Auers. (103), Armiger crista (L.) (3), Armiger crista (L.) var. inermis Lindh. (1), Viviparus sp. (1), Valvata piscinalis Müll. (24 juv.), V. pulchella Müll. (28), Valvata cristata Müll. (1), Valvata sp. (1), Bithynia sp. (1), operculum (5), Clessiniola julaevi G. Ppv. (188), Clessiniola sp. (22 juv.), Gastropoda (4), ?Scalaxis sp. (2), Dreissena polymorpha (Pall.) (162), Dreissena sp. (6), Sphaerium rivicola Lam. (1), Pisidium amnicum Müll. (35) and Aktschagylia subcaspia (Andrus.) (7). Shells of Succinea oblonga Drap. (26), Vertigo sp. (cf. substriata) (1), Vallonia costata Müll. (11), Valvata pulchella Müll. (1), Clessiniola julaevi G. Ppv. (4) are rare in the Eopleistocene deposits (Tabl. 20).

Small mammals Small mammals are rare in the Ilenka sections. Nevertheless the presence of two species of the genus Mimomys ( M. reidi Hint. and M. pliocaenicus F. Maj.) and the presence of Prosiphnaeus sp. together with the absence of field-voles with un-rooted molars, indicate an Aktchagylian age; the fauna correlates to the Khaprov small mammal complex. (Plate VII, Tabl. 21).

References 1. Danukalova, G. A., Yakovlev, A. G., Alimbekova, L. I., Popova-Lvova, M. G., 2001. The key stratigraphical Pliocene-Quaternary section Ilenka (Southern Fore-Urals) (in Russian). In: Geological Collection, 2 (Informational materials). Gilem (Ufa): 95–110.

126 Upper Pliocene and Pleistocene of the Southern Urals region

and its significance for correlation of the eastern and western parts of Europe 127

Table 20. The stratigraphical distribution of the molluscs in the Ilenka sections

Neogene Quaternary Species Upper Pliocene Pleistocene Akchagyl Eopleistocene Lower-Middle Middle Lower Suite / Horizon Akkulaevo Dema Section III I, III II Succinea oblonga Drap. 26 Succinea sp. 1 1 Pupilla muscorum L. 40 Pupilla cf. mutabilis Steklov 5 Vertigo substriata (Jeffr.) 1 Vallonia costata Müll. 13 11 Limnaea sp. 8 Radix sp. 21 Galba sp. 28 Planorbis planorbis L. 5 Anisus vortex L. 1 Gyraulus gredleri var. rossmaessleri Auers. 103 Armiger crista (L. ) 3 Armiger crista (L.) var. inermis Lindh. 1 Valvata pulchella Müll. 28 1 V. piscinalis Müll. 1 26 V. cristata Müll. 1 Valvata sp. 2 Viviparus sp. 1 Bithynia sp. 1 operculum 5 Clessiniola julaevi G. Ppv. 6 176 Clessiniola sp. 23 4 Gastropoda 1 ? Scalaxis sp. 1 1 Dreissena polymorpha (Pall.) 22 128 Dreissena sp. + 6 + Sphaerium rivicola Lam. 1 P. amnicum Müll. 35 Pisidium sp. + + Aktschagylia subcaspia (Andrus.) 42 7 Legend: 1–10 11–20 21–30 31–50 > 50 specimens specimens specimens specimens specimens

128 Upper Pliocene and Pleistocene of the Southern Urals region

Plate VII. Small mammals of the Ilenka section (by A. G. Yakovlev, 2001)

and its significance for correlation of the eastern and western parts of Europe 129

Table 21. The stratigraphical distribution of the small mammals in the Ilenka sections

Neogene Quaternary Upper Pliocene Pleistocene Species Aktschagyl Eopleistocene Neopleistocene Middle Lower Section III III III IV III Layer 10 16 17 13 (8) 7 Ochotona sp. 2 Sicista sp. 2 Сricetulus sp. 1 Allocricetulus sp. 1 Prosiphnaeus sp. 5 4 1 Mimomys pliocaenicus F. Major 2 Mimomys reidi Hinton 12 2 Mimomys sp. 1 65 1 10 2 Lemmus gen. 2

To Plate VII: 1, 2 – Mimomys pliocaenicus F. Major (Ilenka, Section IV, layer 13). 3–13 – Mimomys reidi Hinton (Ilenka, Section III, layer 16). 14, 15 – Lemmus gen. (Ilenka, Section IV, layer 13).

3 2 1, 3–13, 15 – M1; 2 – M ; 14 – M . a – occlusal view; b – buccal side. 1, 2, 4, 14, 15 – collection of A. G. Yakovlev (1988); 3, 5–13 – collection of V. P. Sikhov (1979).

130 Upper Pliocene and Pleistocene of the Southern Urals region

THE SHULGAN-TASH (KAPOVA) CAVE

Location The cave is located on the western slope of the Southern Urals in the upper course of the river Belaya, 30 km downstream of Starosubkhangulovo, the centre of the region (Fig. 1). The cave is formed in Devonian and Carbonian limestone. The entrance of the cave is at a distance of about 150 m from the river Belaya and at a height of 7–8 m above the average water level. The total length of the investigated part of the cave is 2 km (Fig. 45).

Fig. 45. The Shulgan-Tash cave. A plan (by V.E. Shchelinsky, 1989). Legend: A, B – Shulgan River; 1 – entrance to the cave; 2 – Main Gallery; 3 - Foyer ; 4 – Domed Hall; 5 – Hall of Signs; 6 – Hall of Chaos; 7 – Hall of Paintings; 8 – Diamond Hall; 9 – Rainbow Hall; 10 – Crystal Hall; I – a longitudinal profile of the first level; II – a longitudinal profile of the second level of the cave. and its significance for correlation of the eastern and western parts of Europe 131

History

In 1760 P.I. Rychkov described the cave for the first time and in the XVIII century I.I. Lepekhin investigated the cave. The cave was visited by D. Sokolov, I. Zanevsky and F. Simon in the XIX century. In the twenties of the XX century G. V. Vakhrushev (1936, 1960) investigated the cave and concluded that the cave dates from The Upper Pleistocene. In his opinion, the formation of the first level in the cave took place at the same time as the accumulation of the first fluvial terrace above the floodplain of the river, between the end of the Late Pleistocene and the Middle Holocene (14000–5000 years ago). In 1959 A.V. Ryumin discovered the rock paintings in the cave and in 1961–86 O.N. Bader (St.Petersburg) studied the cultural layer and the paintings. I.K. Kudryashov and E.D. Bogdanovich (1966) from the Bashkirian State University made a series of vertical sections and a plan of a cave. V.L. Yakchimovich (Bader, 1965) investigated the area around the cave, using a theodolite survey and concluded that the two levels in the cave must be older than the Late Pleistocene. The geologists V.A. Lider and A.G. Cybul’kin studied unconsolidated deposits of the cave. From the eighties on the archaeologist V.E. Shchelinsky (St. Petersburg) carried out further investigations. Mammals remains from the cultural layer were identified by I.R. Kuzmina and N.I. Abramson (St. Petersburg) and pollen and spores were studied by G.M. Levkovskaya. Yu.S. Lyakhnytscky (St. Petersburg) did spelaeological investigations, V. V. Kochegura (St. Petersburg) did palaeomagnetical studies.

Description of the exploring shaft

V.E. Shchelinsky made a shaft through the first level of the cave in the “Hall of Signs”. The following layers are described from the top to the bottom (Fig. 46).

Fig. 46. The archaeological exavations (by V.E. Shchelinsky, 1989) Legend: 1 – brownish-gray bedded loam; 2 – brown loam; 3 – bluish-gray clay; 4 – gray bedded clay; 5 – brown loam; 6 – sand; 7 – ash interbed; 8 – brownish-gray bedded loam; 9 – the bed with Late Palaeolithic implements; 10 – light brown bedded loam; 11 – brown clay; 12 – yellowish-brown bedded loam; 13 – brown bedded loam; 14 – light brown bedded loam; 15 – brown loam; 16 – bedding; 17 – calcitic incrustation; 18 – limestone blocks.

132 Upper Pliocene and Pleistocene of the Southern Urals region

Quaternary Holocene – Upper Pleistocene

(slope deposits – d) Thickness, m 1. Brownish-grey thin bedded clayey dense loam………………………………………………...0,1–0,2 2. Pale brown unstratified loam………………………………………………………………...0,02–0,05 3. Grey dense clay. Only present in the eastern wall of the shaft……………………………………0,05 4. Grey thin-bedded dense clayey loam. In the eastern wall of the shaft the thickness of this layer is larger than in the western wall. Lenses of pale brown loam located in the interval between 0,1–0,18 m from the top……………………………………………………………………………………...0,02–0,3 5. Greyish-brown thin-bedded dense clayey loam with thin interbeds of the light sand at the base. On the eastern wall of the exploring shaft this interbeds disappeared…………………………0,02–0,17 6. Brownish-grey thin-bedded clayey dense loam with two thin interbeds of black and reddish-brown colours………………………………………………………………………………………….0,02–0,13 7. Light brown thin-bedded loam with iron-staining. The cultural layer lies on top of the surface of this layer; it is well represented in the northern wall. Ash and coal from the cultural layer have C14 dates of 14680±150 (LE–2443) and 13930±300 (GIN–4853)………………………………………………0,6 8. Pale brown clay present in the eastern wall…………………………………………………0,02–0,18 9. Yellowish-brown thin-bedded dense clayey loam……………………………………………..0,1–0,2 10. Brown bedded dense clayey loam with vertical joints filled by sand. The interbed of white sand located in the interval 0,02–0,05 m from the boundary of the upper layer. The interbed of yellowish-brown iron- stained clay located in the interval 0,08–0,17 m from the upper boundary……………………..0,15–0,3 11. Brown bedded dense clayey loam with interbeds the clay in the upper part……………………...0,8 12. Brown unstratified dense loam with ash and coal dissemination……………………………….0,7–1 13. Large limestone’s blocks…………………………………………………………………………..0,5

The cultural layer is grey and dark grey in colour with precipitations of red ochre, with ash and coal, fragments of the stalactites, limestone blocks and rock debris. The cultural layer was discovered in the “Hall of Signs”, 210 m from the cave entrance at a depth of 0,5 m in the upper part of the light brown bedded loam (layer 7). The thickness of the layer varies from 2–3 cm (in the eroded parts) to 10–12 cm. The upper boundary of the layer is sharp, the cultural layer is covered by light loam. The lower boundary of the cultural layer is more gradual. The total thickness of the studied deposits is approximately 3,5 m.

Archaeology

Today more than 50 colour pictures are known from Kapova Cave; pictures of animals (mammoths, horses, bison, rhinoceros), geometrical figures and partially removed spots (probably fragments of pictures). Red or violet-brown ochre was used to make the pictures. The pictures are of Late Palaeolithic age and are correlated with the cultural layer in the cave. The protection of the pictures is bad. and its significance for correlation of the eastern and western parts of Europe 133

Artefacts are known from the cultural layer: 193 fragments, 3 pebble implements, 7 bone implements, 17 beads and pendants, fat-oil burning clay lamp, 15 ochre fragments, 1 limestone block with a fragment of a mammoth picture (Fig. 48, 49).

Fig. 47. The archaeological artifacts (by V.E. Shchelinsky, 1989)

134 Upper Pliocene and Pleistocene of the Southern Urals region

Fig. 48. The archaeological artifacts (by V.E. Shchelinsky, 1989) and its significance for correlation of the eastern and western parts of Europe 135

Radiocarbon data

The ash/coal from the cultural layer have a C14 age of 14680±150 (LE–2443) and 13930±300 (GIN–4853) years.

Vegetation

Two different sets of palynological data were published by V.E. Shchelinshy (1989, 1997). V.E. Shchelinshy (1989) wrote: tree pollen (50–60 %) are dominant in the cultural layer; grass pollen occur for no more than 40 % and spores for no more than 20 %. The most common tree is pine (up to 30 %). The proportion of fir or birch pollen is much smaller. Only isolated grains of broad-leaved trees such as oak and elm were encountered. The grass pollen assemblage consists of periglacial plants, xerophytes and isolated specimens of mesophylous herbs. This particular assemblage seems to include representatives of tundra, forest and steppe associations. The assemblage is, in many aspects similar to the vegetation that existed in the Russian plains during the Late Pleistocene/ Holocene deglaciation. V.E. Shchelinshy (1997) wrote: Tree pollen – 30 %, grass and shrub pollen – 66 %, spores – 4 %. Picea pollen dominated with the proportion of 56 %. Pollen of Pinus silvestris, Betula nana, Larix, Juniperus are identified. Compositae of the Aster type (3 species) dominated the grass shrub pollen. The vegetation was open; only rare trees occurred.

Small mammals

The following species were found in the cultural layer and in the deposits above (Tabl. 22).

Table 22. Small mammals from the cultural layer of the Shulgan-Tash cave

Quaternary Upper Neopleistocene – Upper Neopleistocene Holocene Species Cultural layer layers1–6 Quantaty of Quantaty of Quantaty of bones bones individuals Lagomorpha 80 Lepus sp. 3 Ochotona sp. 1 Sorex sp. 1 Epteslicus nilssjni Keys. et 1 Blas. Myotis sp. 1 Marmota bobac Mull. 8 1 Cricetulus migratorius Pall. 2 2 1 Clethrionomys glareolus 3 Schreb. Lagurus lagurus Pall. 16 4 1 Dicrostonyx torquatus Pall. 4 1 Microrus gregalis Pall. 34 5 1 Microtus arvalis Pall. 1 1 Microtus oeconomus Pall. 1

136 Upper Pliocene and Pleistocene of the Southern Urals region

Large mammals

The following species been found in the cultural layer and in the deposits above (Tabl. 23).

Table 23. Large mammals from the cultural layer of the Shulgan-Tash cave

Quaternary Upper Neopleistocene Species Cultural layer layers 1–6 Quantaty of bones Ursus spelaeus Rosen et Hein. 2 Alopex lagopus L. 2 Vulpes vulpes L. 2 Capreolus capreolus L. 160

Species composition of the Late Pleistocene large mammal fauna indicate the occurrence of dry steppe vegetation.

Palaeomagnetic investigations

Shchelinsky (1989) wrote: the palaeomagnetic investigation indicate two oscillations in the geo-magnetic field. Both oscillations were found beneath the cultural stratum. The one near the bottom of the section is likely to have an age of 40000–42000 years, whereas the other one (in the middle of the section) appears to be 24000–26000 years old. The cultural layer is deposited above the later oscillation (Data from V.V.Kochegura).

Problems

Unfortunately we must admit that the cave deposits were not studied biostratigraphically in great detail.

References Bader, O. N., 1965. Kapovaya cave (in Russian). Palaeolithic painting. Nauka (Moscow): 48 pp. Bader, O. N., 1965. Palaeolithic localities of the Southern Urals and their stratigraphical significance (in Russian). In: Anthropogene of the Southern Urals. Nauka (Moscow): 239–245. Bogdanovich, E. D. & Kudryashov, I. K., 1966. About storeys of the Kapova cave (in Russian). In: Soviet Archaeology, 4: 150–154. Vakhrushev, G. V., 1960. Riddles of the Kapova cave (Shulgan). BF AS USSR (Ufa): 27 pp. Kuzmina, I. E. & Abramson, N. I., 1997. Mammals remains in the Kapova cave of the Southern Urals (in Russian). In: The cave Palaeolith of the Urals. Materials of the International Conferense, September 9th–15th 1997. UNC RAN (Ufa): 121–124. Lepekhin, I., 1802. Dairy writings of the trip in different provinces of the Russian State, part 2. (in Russian). Russian Academy of Sciences. Liahnitskij, Yu. S. & Shchelinsky, V. E., 1987. Investigations of the Kapova cave (Shulgan-Tash) (in Russian). In: News of Russian Geographical Society. Volume 119, Issue 6: 548–553. Rychkov, P., 1760. Description of the cave, located in the Orenburg province near Belaya river (in Russian). In: Compositions and translations need for the use and amusement. Russian Academy of Sciences. and its significance for correlation of the eastern and western parts of Europe 137

Sokolov, D., Zanevsky, I., Simon F., 1897. Report about inspection and shangings of the Kapova cave near Belaya river (in Russian). In: News of the Orenburg branch of the Russian Geographical Society. Issue 10. Shchelinsky, V. E., 1997. Palaeogeographical surroundings and archaeological complex of the Upper Palaeolithic sanctuary of the Shulgan-Tash cave (Kapova) (in Russian). In: The cave Palaeolith of the Urals. Materials of the International Conferense, September 9th–15th 1997. UNC RAN (Ufa): 29–38. Shchelinsky, V. E., 1989. Some results of New Investigations at the Kapova cave in the Southern Urals. In: Proceedings of the Prehistoric Society 55: 181–191.